The Warrior Queen - The Warrior and The King: Book II
by akdogdriver
Summary: It has been ten years since Thorin watched the love of his life ride away from Erebor. His life has changed in many ways but his love for Kaylea Wolf has remained strong. Now they will embark on a dangerous new quest and Thorin will at last learn the truth about the woman he loves. Can he still convince her to become his wife? Revised 11/06/19 - proper chapters & minor revisions
1. Return To Me

PART I

1\. RETURN TO ME

It was a beautiful spring day, a slight breeze blowing in the open window, the late afternoon sun warm with the promise of summer soon to come. Thorin was at his desk trying to compose a delicate letter to his cousin Dain. He was working in one of the old guard rooms above the gates of Erebor. Years ago after the Battle of the Five Armies Kaylea Wolf used the room as an office when she was helping with the reconstruction of Erebor, she said she needed a window to help her think. Thorin had spent so much time in the office that he continued to use it, even after his much larger formal office near the forges was cleaned up and refurnished. He would never had admitted it but he had become used to having the window. Gloin and Fili were with him, going over reports from the new works in the Misty Mountains.

Gloin looked up, something out the window had caught his eye. "Rider coming in," he said absently.

Thorin grunted, not looking up from his letter. "Must be the envoy from Dain," he said. "Early. We weren't expecting him for two days."

"No, it's a man," said Fili, squinting at the incoming rider. "From Rohan, by the look of the horse."

"Looks more like an Elvish horse," said Gloin, turning back to his paperwork.

Thorin was only half-listening, trying to find the most diplomatic way to make a request of his cousin. He did not want to leave it to a scribe.

Fili looked again at the rider, thinking he seemed familiar somehow, though he was still too far away to make out much detail. He saw something moving along the banks of the road, then it crossed from one side to the other behind the horse.

"He has a big dog with him," Fili frowned, _Why did that seem so familiar?_

Thorin dropped his quill and stared at his nephew. "What did you just say?"

Fili looked at Thorin. "He has a big dog…" his voice trailed off, his eyes going wide.

Thorin jumped up, knocking his chair backward and grabbed the spyglass he kept on his desk. He was at Fili's side in an instant, the glass to his eye. He studied the rider for a few seconds then handed the glass to Fili and disappeared out the door.

Gloin and Fili looked at each other, neither needed the glass to know who the rider was.

Thorin hurried down the steps to the front gate, telling himself not to run. She was still a ways off, he had plenty of time to get to the gate before she arrived. The gate guards snapped to attention as he approached, Thorin ignored them. The gates were still open as the sun was not yet down, Thorin strode out and across the bridge. He made himself stop there, though he badly wanted to continue down the road. It had been almost 11 years since she had last ridden out of Erebor, _Had she changed?_ Though his life was much different now his love for her remained as strong as ever, seeing her brought back all his feelings with an intensity that felt as if it would crush him. His heart was pounding in his chest, waves of emotions hitting him one after the other - pure joy, uncertainty, anticipation. When Kaylea Wolf reined in her horse in front of him his heart soared as he met her icy-blue eyes. Feeling that familiar thrill run through his body was so sweet he could taste it. She was unchanged, the same travelling clothes, the same wolf, the only thing different was her horse.

Kaylea dismounted and took a knee before him, bowing her head. "My king," she said.

Thorin smiled and stepped forward, offering her his hands. As she put her hands in his and drew herself up he felt the familiar sensation of sparks running over his skin, his heart felt as though it skipped a beat. Thorin had to will himself to keep still, all he wanted to do was take her into his arms, but he knew he could not do that in full view of his subjects watching from the gate. And if he started kissing her he would not be able to stop.

"My lady," Thorin said, still holding her hands. "It gladdens my heart more than you know to see you again."

Kaylea smiled. "I hope you had not given up on me, my king."

Thorin shook his head. "I had your word you would return. I had hoped it would be before this."

Kaylea nodded. "I have been trying to get back since I left. Finally I am here." She squeezed his hands. "You look well."

"As do you, my lady." The two of them stood looking at each other, Thorin holding her hands in his. He had remembered in his minds eye how beautiful she was, but seeing her in front of him again took his breath away. Like some goddess stepped down to earth; her chiseled features, her long golden hair. She was little changed, not a day older, her clothes were the same, in her hair were the braids that matched his own, mithril beads shining in the last of the sunlight, inside the neck of her tunic he could see the chain he had given her.

Kaylea could not believe the joy she felt at seeing Thorin again, she had not realized just how much she missed him until he was standing before her. He was both younger and taller than when she had seen him last. His head was now even with the bottom of her nose, his hair raven black without a touch of grey. He looked like a Dwarf of 80, not one pushing 210, the boosterspice had made him a true heir to Durin the Deathless it seemed. Kaylea was glad to see he had kept his beard short, in fact it looked even shorter now than she remembered. She couldn't wait to feel it against her body again, the thought sent a tingle up her back. Kaylea wanted so badly to kiss him but she could see he was holding himself back so she held her ground.

Kaylea ran her thumb over the back of his left hand, feeling his wedding ring. "And you are now married."

Thorin nodded. "To a princess of Ered Mithrin. I have a son, and she is again with child." He looked at Kaylea closely, wondering how she would take this news, but her face was unreadable. "She is a good friend and a valuable counselor."

"A good _friend_?" Kaylea asked, shaking her head. "I am sorry to hear that, my king. I hoped you would find love with the mother of your child."

"My heart belongs to you, my love," Thorin replied. "As I told you, it always will." He felt a sudden tightness in his chest, his heart sinking. He shifted his hands, bringing them up to interlace his fingers with hers. "And you? Have you found...another?"

Kaylea gave him a radiant smile, meeting his eyes. "I lost my heart a few years back," she said. "To a homeless king who had this crazy plan to slay a dragon." Thorin smiled, feeling a great sense of relief flood over him, he had not realized he had been holding his breath. They stood looking at each other for a long moment, holding each other at arms length each desperately wanting to close the distance between them.

"If we stand here much longer Fili is going to come out and tell me I am not behaving as a king should," Thorin said, smiling ruefully. Kaylea laughed.

"Let me care for my horse, my king," she said, slowly letting go of his hands. "It has been a very long ride today. Then we can catch up." She winked at him.

Thorin smiled back. "Of course, my love. I am sure you would also like to wash up after your ride. I will have your quarters prepared. Do you still remember your way?"

Kaylea looked at him questioningly. "My quarters? Where I stayed before?"

Thorin nodded. "They are your apartments, my lady. None stays there but you."

Kaylea chuckled, shaking her head. "That seems like rather a waste of space," she reached for the reins of her horse and they went together into Erebor.

As Thorin had predicted Fili was standing just inside the gate, his face full of concern. Gloin was with him, and several other Dwarves Kaylea did not recognize. She greeted the members of Thorin's old company warmly then led her horse down the side passage to the stables. Hector came trotting in as well, looking from side to side as he followed her.

Kaylea unsaddled Hadrian and rubbed him down. She gave him a measure of grain and went over how he was to be cared for with one of the stable boys as she gathered her things. The stables had been enlarged and there were stalls that could accommodate horses now. Indeed the kingdom looked very prosperous, with new gates and improvements made to the main halls. There were many Dwarves and Men moving through the Hall of Kings, the sounds of business echoed around the chamber. Thorin had done well. And he had an heir, so his kingdom was secure. Kaylea had to admit she was secretly glad Thorin was not in love with his wife. If he had been she would have bowed out gracefully, but she would be lying to herself to say it would have been easy. Seeing him again had brought back all her feelings for him in a rush, she felt as if she loved him more than ever. She found herself looking forward to the evening, hoping Thorin was not going to keep up appearances and stay away. Judging by her welcome, she did not think that would be the case.

Kaylea found her quarters newly renovated, with a larger bed, new furniture, rugs and wolf decorations scattered around. There was even a proper bathroom now, with running water. A fur bed had been provided for Hector, who sniffed at it and curled up where he could watch the door instead. Kaylea tried out the bathroom first, it felt good to get the road dust off, it had been a long ride from Mirkwood today. She had just pulled her tunic over her head when she heard Thorin's soft knock on the door. Not wasting any time then, she thought with a smile and decided not to bother putting her pants on, they were just going to come off in a minute anyway. She took a deep breath before opening the door, she felt nervous as a schoolgirl, her stomach full of butterflies. She opened the door and Thorin quickly stepped inside, he already had his hands on her waist as she closed and locked the door. Kaylea turned in his arms and leaned back against the door as Thorin put one hand behind her head to draw her mouth down to his. Kaylea relaxed into his arms, relishing the taste of him, the feel of his beard tickling her face. She had forgotten how good it felt to kiss Thorin, that smell of frankincense, the taste of rain on earth, how all her cares vanished and she felt like everything was right in the world. They kissed each other for a long time, their hands moving over each other's bodies, reacquainting themselves. Kaylea could feel Thorin stone hard pressed against her, just the thought of him inside her made her instantly wet. After a few moments Thorin moved his hand up under her tunic, finding nothing but bare skin he moved his hand up inside her thigh, his touch electric. Kaylea broke their kiss to gasp as he slid a finger inside her. She reached for his belt, unhooking it and unbuttoning his breeches. Thorin moved her legs apart with his knee and Kaylea bit her lip as he slid into her. His touch, the feel of him inside was so intense, from the minute she had set eyes on him she had been anticipating this moment. Thorin brought them both to an almost immediate finish. After, the King leaned against her, his head resting on her shoulder.

"How I have missed you," he said, inhaling deeply. The familiar smell of her, that desert sand and sage. "You feel so good."

"I have missed you more than I can say," Kaylea said, holding him close. "I have missed this."

Thorin gave her a wicked smile. "I won't be finished with you for hours," he said, biting her on the ear, then the neck. He moved back to step out of his boots. "Let us move somewhere more comfortable."

Several hours later, Thorin lay curled against Kaylea's back, his arm around her waist, the smell of her filling his senses. He kissed the curve of her neck. Thorin found it strange, they had not seen each other in ten years but once they were together it was like she had never left. He brushed her hair aside to rest his face on her neck.

"How long can we stay in this bed," he asked.

Kaylea smiled. "You are the king, you tell me," she replied.

Thorin chuckled. "I am not expecting Dain's envoy for two days, so we can stay until at least tomorrow."

"Will not the queen wonder where you are?" Kaylea asked, turning her head to look at him.

"She is away in the Ered Mithrin visiting her family, my love."

Kaylea frowned. "I thought you said she was with child."

Thorin sighed, really not wanting to talk about his wife. "She is. She does not trust the midwives here, my son was born in the Ered Mithrin this child will be as well."

Kaylea frowned. "I think I will need an explanation," she said. She started to roll over, but Thorin tightened his arm to stop her.

"We have not seen each other in years. Can our first conversation be about something other than my wife?" Thorin sighed. "I did what you told me to do, what everyone told me to do and, much as I hate to admit it, it was the right thing. Is that not explanation enough?"

"Very well, your majesty," Kaylea said, with a smile. "We can talk about it another time."

Thorin kissed her neck again, her shoulder, he could not get enough of the taste of her. He felt like the man who finds water when dying of thirst in the desert.

"Why are you here, my love?"

Kaylea wriggled against him, smiling. "To see you, of course."

Thorin slapped her playfully on the butt. "You know what I mean! Why are you here in Middle Earth? Why now?"

Kaylea took a deep breath, suddenly serious. "To observe the progress of the Enemy. To go to Mordor and see how his plans progress."

"Then I am going with you," Thorin said.

Kaylea turned her head again to look at him. "My king, it is far too dangerous."

"Is that supposed to make me not want to go? If you think you are going to show up after all this time and I am going to just let you ride into Mordor by yourself, you are sadly mistaken."

Kaylea rolled over to face him. "This journey may take months, my horse cannot bear us both all that time. And I doubt your kingdom can spare you."

"My kingdom will be fine, Fili can manage it almost as well as I," Thorin replied, fingering one of the beads at the end of her braids. "And I have my own horse. A gift from the Rohirrim."

"The Rohirrim gave you a horse?"

Thorin smiled, remembering. "It was part of a weapons deal. They said I was the tallest Dwarf they had ever seen, they thought it was amusing so they gave me a horse. She is small, but very fast."

Kaylea sighed. Now that she was here she did not want to leave Thorin, but taking him to Mordor was very unwise. She decided to try to buy some time. "I do not have to leave right away. Let me think about it."

"Think about it all you want, I am going with you," Thorin replied, smoothing her hair away from her face. "And when we get back from Mordor you can marry me."

"You are already married."

"I have an heir now, I can be unmarried." Kaylea just shook her head.

"I cannot marry you, I told you that before," Kaylea met his gaze. "You are just not going to take no for an answer on this, are you?"

"I am not, my love," Thorin replied. "There must be some way it can be done. Perhaps I could spend some of my time in your land and you could spend some in mine."

Kaylea smiled, shaking her head. "You do not know what you are asking, my king." She drew him close and kissed him. She wished with all her heart she could take him back with her, but Blackwolf would never allow it. He might allow one of his Elven kindred to travel about the Empire, but never a Dwarf. And Thorin had a kingdom to look after.

"Then tell me what I am asking," said Thorin, not willing to let the matter pass. "Are things so different in your land?"

"They are very different indeed," Kaylea replied. She wrapped her arms around him, her hands stroking his body. "A conversation for another time, my king."


	2. Under The Mountain

2\. UNDER THE MOUNTAIN

It was just past six bells the next morning when there was a soft knock on the door. Kaylea was sitting up in bed reading the daily reports on her handheld, she put a hand on Thorin's shoulder to raise him.

"Who is it?" She asked, stashing her device.

"Some breakfast for you, my lady," came a small voice. Thorin looked at her.

"That is Dori's son," he said.

"One moment," Kaylea called. She got up and pulled on her leggings and tunic, pulling the laces tight. Thorin picked up all his clothes he could find and disappeared into the bathroom. Kaylea went to open the door, moving Thorin's boots to the side where they would be hidden. There were two Dwarf boys standing outside the door, one holding a large covered tray the other a tray with a tall euer and a pitcher of ale, with two mugs and glasses. Kaylea stepped aside so they could come in. Once they had put the trays down on the table they each drew themselves up importantly.

"Navi", said the younger one. "Kraven," said the older one. They both bowed. "At your service," they said in unison.

"At yours and your family's," Kaylea replied politely, bowing back. "Kaylea Wolf."

The two boys set about laying out the breakfast for two, giving her curious looks. Kraven could see she was very tall, but why did she need two breakfasts? Did her people always eat two? And everyone was talking about her and the king outside the gate yesterday.

Finally Navi could stand it no longer. "Are you the great warrior they tell so many tales about, my lady?'

Kaylea smiled. "I suppose I am."

"Did you really kill a warg with your bare hands?" Navi asked, he found this tall woman a bit scary but he had heard the story many times and had always wanted to know if it was true.

Kaylea laughed. "I had to use my hands. My sword was stuck in another wargs head." The two boys looked at each other. They obviously had a million questions but were being too polite to ask.

"Is there anything else you require, my lady?" Kraven asked gravely, poking Navi in the side.

"There is one thing," Kaylea said, watching the two boys' eyes go wide as Hector rose up from the foot of the bed. "This is Hector. Could you walk with him down to the gate and make sure nobody shoots him. He needs to go outside to hunt."

Kaylea went to stand by the door as the boys led the way for her wolf, closing it behind them. As soon as she shot the bolt Thorin appeared in his underclothes, and headed over to inspect the breakfast fare. Kaylea surveyed the room, the bedclothes twisted and hanging off the bed, pillows and clothing strewn about. It was pretty obvious what had been going on in here, but maybe not to a couple of young boys.

Thorin took a seat, he poured two cups of coffee and handed one to Kaylea. They ate in silence for some time, having missed dinner the night before. At length Kaylea sat back in her chair, she reached her leg under the table to rest her foot on Thorin's leg. He slowly ran his fingers down the top of her foot, then up her leg.

"So, who is your wife?" Kaylea asked.

Thorin sighed. "Shurri, one of the fairest princesses in the Seven Families. Her father was very eager to make the match, for obvious reasons. She took some convincing." Kayea looked questioningly at him. "She is in love with a captain in her father's guard whom her father would never permit her to marry, when I told her I was also in love with someone else she agreed to the match. It helped that her son will be king of Erebor."

"But you are friends?"

Thorin nodded. "Yes, she has been a great asset in council and performs all the duties of a queen with grace. The marriage has made our kingdoms strong allies. We get along well enough, but there is no love between us."

Kaylea smiled at him. "She must be warming up to you if she is carrying a second child."

Thorin shook his head. "She is from a family of three, I am from a family of three, she believes it is good luck to have three children." Thorin drained his coffee cup, looking suddenly tired. "We have only been together a half dozen times in the past ten years, she gives me five minutes when the time is right. We like each other well enough to get the job done."

 _Ouch_ , Kaylea thought, though she was secretly pleased. "You do have an heir now, you could say no."

Thorin chuckled. "You do not know her. She is as stubborn as I am," he looked resigned. "And it is a good idea to have more than one child."

She moved her foot to rub the inside of his thigh. "Well, she does not know what she is missing."

Thorin looked at her through his lashes, he moved her foot between his legs, holding it there. "I save myself for you, my love," he said. "Now, I am done talking about my wife."

Kaylea smiled slyly at him, wondering again how she had managed to live without this man the last ten years. "Just one thing, since you are married now should I take these out?" She ran her fingers down one of her braids.

Thorin's eyes flashed. "Certainly not! You are still my woman, even though we are not married...yet." He leaned forward. "My relationship with the queen is no secret, and those who were here for the Battle of the Five Armies know who you are." Thorin sat back in his chair, running his fingers up her leg again, smiling. "I hope you brought that blue dress, I must find an occasion for you to wear it."

Kaylea chuckled. "I came prepared this time. I brought _two_ dresses."

It was late morning when Kaylea washed and dressed while Thorin went to his quarters to do the same. She traded her travelling tunic for the soft blue one that Thorin had admired the last time she was in Middle Earth, she left the ring he had given her on the chain around her neck. She took a few moments to catch up on her handheld. War was threatening to break out on the Dubari border, she needed to watch the situation carefully. If it happened she would have to leave in haste, but when Blackwolf had offered her this mission she had jumped at it, not wanting to turn down the opportunity to see Thorin. She had sent Pilot and her aide Aramsham to make contacts on Dubari, if things went according to plan she should be done before they came back. When Kaylea stepped out her door she was surprised to find a richly dressed Dwarf woman waiting for her. She had an air of importance about her as she looked Kaylea over appraisingly. Kaylea studied her closely, her hair, the shape of her eyes. This must be Thorin's sister she thought to herself. Kaylea bowed low.

"Kaylea Wolf, at your service, my lady," she said. "I assume you are Princess DIs?"

"You presume right," the Dwarf replied. She looked Kaylea up and down again, shaking her head. "So here you are, the famous warrior woman who stole my brother's heart. I have been telling him to give you up for ten years, now I see why he cannot."

"My heart belongs to him as well, your highness" Kaylea replied seriously. "I apologize if I caused any scandal at the gate yesterday, I assure you that was not my intention."

Dis waved her hand dismissively. "That was on the king. He should have waited until you were inside and greeted you properly," she gave Kaylea another appraising glance. "Although it looks like he also took care of that."

The look she gave her was so sharp Kaylea almost checked to make sure her tunic was laced up, but she knew it was. None of the bite marks were visible.

"And you are wearing his braids!" Dis exclaimed, shaking her head again. "Why not just go ahead and marry him, girl?"

Kaylea smiled. "He has asked me more than once, I have refused him. I have no words for how much I love your brother, but I cannot be his queen. I have many obligations in my own land, I cannot remain in Middle Earth. I cannot bear children, which is a queen's first duty and, as the son of Durin, his children must be of pure blood to avoid any challenges to his successors. I told him to marry a Dwarf princess and raise a family, I know you may find this hard to believe but I hoped he would find love with the mother of his children. If he had I would have stepped aside, it would not have been easy, but I would have done it. And I am quite sure you have already heard all of this."

Dis looked at her, this time approvingly. "Yes, but not from your own mouth. I hear the truth in your words," she replied. "And I must thank you for saving my brother's life, I understand he would not have survived his injuries without your medicines." She paused. "You would not happen to have any more of that youth potion you used on him?"

Kaylea laughed. _I like her_ , she thought to herself. "I do not. And it is merely a medicine we use to heal injuries in my land, I had no idea it would have such a strong effect on a Dwarf." Kaylea grew serious again. "If you have a moment, may ask you about the queen? Is she popular with the people?"

"Yes. She is pretty and generous and smart, a perfect queen in almost every way. She is very popular with her subjects."

"Then I will encourage Thorin to be discreet. I have no wish to undermine her, she is the one who must live in Erebor."

Dis smiled at her. "The fact the king and queen do not love each other is well known to all, it does not affect their popularity. Many remember you, your actions at the Battle of the Five Armies and on the way to Rivendell are told and retold in story and song. Now that I have set eyes on you myself I can see that you would be hard to forget." She put a hand on Kaylea's arm. "If you want to be discreet you are going to have to take out those braids and my brother will not stand for that, I am sure."

Before Kaylea could answer she looked up and saw Thorin approaching accompanied by a couple of guards. He was wearing a richly embroidered emerald green shirt and vest with a wide silver belt, looking every inch a king. His fine features and short beard had always set him a bit apart from the other Dwarves, now that he was also so young and tall he looked even more different. Kaylea lowered herself on one knee and Dis bowed as he approached, Thorin nodded his acknowledgement. He stepped forward, giving his sister a dark look and offering Kaylea his hand.

"Are you ready for a tour of my restored kingdom, my lady?" He asked.

She set her hand in his and let him lead the way. As soon as they were out of earshot Thorin asked. "What were you two talking about?"

"You," Kaylea replied, with a sly smile.

Erebor was much changed since the last time Kaylea had walked the halls. In the days after the dragon it had been a dark and empty place, now it buzzed with life, the halls filled with light and the citizens going about their business. In the residential areas there were Dwarves coming off their shifts in the mines, others delivering groceries and laundry, children on their way to school. In the wider streets were many shops filled with goods of every description. All the Dwarves bowed low to Thorin as he passed, some of the men caught Kaylea's eye and nodded at her. No doubt, those who remembered her from the great battle. Thorin smiled at all his subjects, stopping occasionally to speak to individuals - asking women about their husbands, inquiring the price of some item, or handing out coins to the children. Kaylea watched him, impressed with how easily he wore the mantle of king. And he was obviously enormously popular with his subjects. Kaylea was careful to keep a bit of distance between them as they walked. It was one thing for her and Thorin to carry on in private, quite another to do it in front of his subjects. They had not talked about it in advance but Thorin seemed to sense what she was doing and kept himself at arm's length, only occasionally moving close to put a hand on her back or hold her hand. Knowing her interest in engineering matters, Thorin pointed out all the improvements they had made to the city and Kaylea wanted to see the work in some areas, going down hidden halls and climbing on equipment to get a better idea of what had been done.

Thorin bought apples for them and the guards at a stand in one of the markets. The shopkeeper tried to give them to him, but he insisted on paying. They ate them as they headed to the forges.

"It seems to be all Dwarves in the city," Kaylea remarked. The city could obviously house many more people. "Is all commerce with other races done in Dale?"

Thorin nodded. "We keep Erebor to ourselves. There are some from Dale who work here, but we keep all the traders away. That way we can control prices for our folk."

Kaylea nodded. They came then to the forges, all of them lit and Dwarves busy making swords, armor and down at the far end, fine silver ornaments. Kaylea noticed a rack of sword blades with the same single-edged, curved design as her own. She lifted one off the rack, swinging it by the tang. The balance was excellent.

"Your contribution to the wealth of Erebor," Thorin explained, watching her. "Those swords are much sought after, they hold their edge much better than those that are made traditionally. And we use thrice-forged steel, not as good as the one you gave me but a big improvement on what we were making."

Kaylea put the blade back on the rack, shaking her head. She should have known the first thing Thorin would do with the sword she gave him was try to replicate it. Only that steel did not exist in Middle Earth.

Kaylea saw one of the biggest changes in the treasury. Gone were the giant bins of coin, in their place were a series of strongrooms with gold bars stacked to the ceilings.

"This was your best idea, my love," Thorin told her. "Taking the coin out of circulation increased the value fifty percent, and it is so much easier to manage this way. Strange we never thought of doing it before."

Kaylea smiled at him. "Perhaps because it is a bit harder to admire this way."

Thorin frowned at her. "My grandfather used to spend days down here, just looking at his treasure. I did too, when I first returned." He shook his head, smiling. "After I recovered from my wounds I found I never think about it anymore. Just as I never wear that crown anymore."

"That is a good thing, my king," Kaylea said. "They are only tools and symbols, they do not make you who you are."

The next morning Thorin suggested they take a ride up Ravenhill. It was a beautiful day, the warm sun accompanied in the sky by a few wispy clouds, new leaves turning all the trees bright green, the smell of new grass in the air. Thorin's horse was a pretty little bay mare, with the graceful curved neck and short back of a horse bred in the west of Rohan. They were sure-footed and swift, made for life in the rocky hills of that part of the land. Kaylea was impressed with her conditioning, she was barely blowing after a swift climb up the steep side of Ravenhill. Thorin looked very comfortable on her back, Kaylea had not realized he was such an accomplished horseman.

The two of them dismounted and stood side by side, the land laid out before them. The rain during the night had washed the air clean and they could see for many miles. The Iron Hills were just visible in the distance, the Long Lake and the land beyond stretching away to the south.

"That is where we will be riding soon," Thorin said, nodding towards the lands past the lake.

"Where I will be riding, my king," Kaylea replied. "You will be staying here where you belong."

"I belong with you," Thorin replied. He reached up to touch the side of her face. "Now that I see you again after all this time, I know that better than ever." Thorin looked out over the land, a faraway look in his eyes. "For years I dreamed of nothing but reclaiming Erebor, now I have done that. My line is secure, my kingdom prospers, I have all that my grandfather had and more, all that a Dwarf my age could want. I should be content, but I am not. Whatever magic you used to heal my injuries has made me young again, I find myself again with a young man's dreams. Adventure, risk, freedom from responsibilities, sometimes I feel the life of a king is crushing me."

Kaylea was looking into the distance. She said something in a strange language, when she looked at Thorin she saw his questioning glance.

"It is a saying among my people. When you have been too long in one place and want to travel we say you have 'itchy feet'".

Thorin chuckled. "I like that! Yes, I have itchy feet. They itch to be on the road again, to be on an adventure, see new things and do some fighting." He looked at Kaylea. "If the Dark Lord is rebuilding his power, I would like to see that for myself."

"It is a dark and dangerous road, my king. We must travel for days through empty lands, and when we reach Mordor I do not know what we will find. The forces of the enemy for certain, of what manner and how many I cannot say." She looked over at Thorin to find him smiling at her.

"If you are trying to convince me not to go, you are not doing a very good job," he said. "I have not always lived a life of comfort and ease, I remember well the trials of life in the Wild. Perhaps I have not trained as hard as I should but the forces of the enemy do not frighten me."

"They should, my king."

Thorin took her hand, interlacing her fingers with his. He wrapped his arm over hers to bring her close, kissing the back of her hand. "I fear nothing when you are next to me."

It was two evenings later that Thorin asked Kaylea if she would dress for dinner. A group of Elves from Lorien had arrived unexpectedly that day, the first visit to Erebor of the Fair Folk from that land and he wanted to show them some Dwarvish hospitality. Kaylea was surprised but glad they had come since she could get much information from them about the lands to the South, where she would soon ride. The dress she chose to wear was the more formal of the two she had brought with her. It was pale silver silk gathered in silver clasps on top of her shoulders that left her arms bare. A second piece of fabric flowed between the clasps over her back to the floor, covering the cutaway back. The drape of the dress was such that it managed to appear modest and revealing at the same time. Kaylea had swept her hair up, the silver beads and Thorin's ring were the only ornaments she wore.

Thorin had said he would meet her outside the reception hall and he was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, wanting to see what she was wearing. Kaylea smiled when she saw him, he was also wearing silver. A thin silver high-collared shirt, topped with a darker silver fur-trimmed vest over his black breeches and boots. Kaylea thought he looked devastatingly handsome.

Thorin gave a low whistle when he saw her, regarding her hungrily as she came down the stairs.

"You did come prepared," he said, a finger tracing the plunging neckline of her dress. Kaylea put her hands inside his vest, feeling his body under his shirt.

"You look good enough to eat," she told him, drawing him close to kiss him. Time always seemed to stop when they were kissing each other and it was a long moment before they pulled back.

Thorin ran his fingers over her neck, down the front of her dress. "I have such jewels with which I would adorn your neck," he sighed. "Tiaras of spun gold, light as spiderweb. It is my curse that I fall in love with the only woman in the world with no interest in jewelry." He reached into his tunic for a leather pouch. "But I believe I have the perfect thing for that dress."

Kaylea looked at him as she undid the strings of the pouch. "I have no occasion to wear jewelry in my own country, my king." She reached into the pouch and pulled out a silver necklace. At first glance it looked like a heavy silver chain but as she ran her fingers along it she could see it was four strands spun loosely together, where they parted tiny sapphires flashed, seemingly suspended between them. Kaylea stared at it, amazed. Thorin smiled, he did not like to think about how long it had taken to make but her reaction was worth it. He took it from her and stepped behind her to fasten it, giving her a kiss on the side of her neck.

Kaylea put a hand on the necklace. "Once again you give me something of which I feel unworthy."

Thorin leaned to the side to look at her, surprised. "Unworthy? How can you not be worthy?"

Kaylea sighed. "Something this fine should be for a woman who can wear it daily at your side, I feel I repay you poorly for such magnificent gifts."

Thorin gave her a curious look. "That is your choice, not mine. We cannot decide who we want to fall in love with, but we do choose what to do afterward," he would have gone on, but Balin appeared out of the Hall, looking for the king.

"What is keeping you...oh!" He gave Kaylea a startled look and then bowed low. "Good evening, my lady. I must say you look rather stunning."

"Good evening, Master Balin!" Kaylea replied. "Thank you. We will be right behind you." Thorin offered her his arm and they went into the hall. Kaylea had questioned him about whether it was appropriate for them to walk in together, since he was now a married man. Thorin brushed her concerns aside saying he was the King and he would have dinner with whoever he pleased. While Thorin was technically right, she did not think it very wise. However, the party would just be Dwarves close to Thorin who already knew and the Elves, who would not care. The servants would gossip, but it was not like she was sitting on a throne next to him in the Hall of Kings.

The reception hall was a smaller, more welcoming place than the Great Hall. There were fires burning in the big fireplaces and many places to sit, along the walls or in comfortable chairs by the fires. It was decorated with swords and shields from all Seven Kingdoms, and several large tapestries depicting events from the Battle of the Five Armies. Kaylea swept the room with her eyes, she saw Balin, Gloin, Fili, Dis and several other Dwarf women who were likely their wives, Dori and two other Dwarves she did not recognize. There was a group of four golden-haired Elves standing by the fire drinking from long stemmed glasses, one looked over and smiled at Kaylea as she came in with the King.

Thorin guided her around the room introducing her to the Dwarves she had not met, one hand on her back or his arm around her waist. There could be no question of the understanding between them.

As they approached the party of Elves Balin came over to make the introductions, but the Elf who had smiled at Kaylea stepped forward to greet her with an amused smile. "Kaylea Wolf, you turn up in the most surprising places!" He said, looking pointedly at her dress. "And looking so ravishing. I was not aware you owned any clothes that were not black."

Thorin burst out laughing at this. Kaylea laughed too. "Thank you, Haldir. It is also quite surprising to see the Fair Folk in the halls of Erebor. What happened, you forget how to make knives?"

Haldir laughed. "Ever since Durin's Folk returned to the Lonely Mountain we have been considering opening trade between our kingdoms, they have been too long estranged. We came to Dale on other business and thought we would request an audience with the King." He inclined his head to Thorin, who nodded politely back. "But you must tell me what brings you here, you never seem to arrive with glad tidings."

Kaylea nodded gravely. "It seems that is never my task."

Just then dinner was called and they all went through to the dining hall. Thorin sat at the end of the table, Fili on his left. Dis sat in what would be the queen's seat at the other end. Kaylea was seated a few seats down the table from Thorin, next to the Elves, which gave her a chance to ask Haldir about the route she would soon be travelling. They spent much of the meal in deep conversation about the disposition of the lands between Erebor and Mordor.

Thorin watched Kaylea closely throughout the dinner. Mostly he liked looking at her in that dress, but he found it interesting that she and the Elves treated each other as equals. She did not hold them in awe, as so many in Middle Earth did and Haldir seemed to have genuine respect for her. Thorin made a mental note to ask her about it.

Kaylea felt Thorin's eyes on her many times during the evening, and would often look over to meet his gaze. She did wish she could have sat next to him, but this was more appropriate, and they would be together later anyway. At one point during the evening Kaylea noticed Thorin had undone a couple of buttons on his shirt, as the room was quite warm. After that every time she looked at him all she could think about was unbuttoning the rest and taking that shirt off.


	3. The Road to Mordor

3\. THE ROAD TO MORDOR

Ten days later Thorin was following Kaylea Wolf out the gate of Erebor on his horse. He knew she was letting him accompany her against her better judgement, he had the feeling letting her heart overrule her mind was not something she often allowed. But it gave him hope, now that she had done it once for him, he was sure he would be able to convince her to do it again. She had tried to discourage him in every possible way, going on about the dangers and hardships on the road, including the Dorsai version of cram. But Thorin had remained adamant that he would travel with her and in the end she did not sneak out while he was sleeping, which she could have done, she agreed to let him come.

Balin and Fili were there to watch him leave. Thorin had named Fili regent in his stead and he knew his nephew would take good care of Erebor until his return. They had taken a few days to prepare for the journey; they would travel light, live off the land as much as possible and save the cram for Mordor where they would likely find nothing edible. The horses would have to look after themselves, though they did bring grain for days they had to ride hard. Kaylea did not seem concerned about Hector, Thorin supposed the wolf could always eat orcs if he got desperate. As they were saddling their horses he noticed that Kaylea was carrying a second sword with her. It was made of some black metal and the sheath was covered with strange runes. In fact, it was tied down with a leather thong covered with runes. Thorin asked her about it, but she would only say it was "for foes who are not among the living." He was also interested to see the long scabbard she had with her the last time he had ridden with her, he was hoping for another look at that strange weapon.

They rode past Dale and turned south, the plan was to follow the borders of Mirkwood to the River Running, then turn east across the Brown Lands. When they reached the Redwater they would turn south to come to the Ered Lithui well east of the Black Gate. It would be a long journey through some very empty country. Kaylea told Thorin she planned to take it easy for the first few days until he was more accustomed to spending a day on horseback, then they would start to travel longer. The first night they stayed at an inn on the south end of the Long Lake. Kaylea was worried at first Thorin would be recognized. He assured her his face was not well known and any Dwarves staying at the inn would be unlikely to give him away. Kaylea attracted attention, as beautiful women often do, but with her sword across her back and manly clothes she was a bit too intimidating for the men in the pub to want to do more than look. They enjoyed a pleasant evening and a good meal. Though they loved each other deeply, Thorin and Kaylea really had not spent much time together, just the two of them. Thorin was hoping this journey would give them an opportunity to get to know each other better. He really wanted to find out more about her mysterious land she so rarely talked about.

It rained overnight and the next day dawned brilliant and clear. As Thorin swung up on his horse he could not believe how good it felt to be on the road again. In the years before he came to Erebor he thought only of how he would like to stay in one place, though as a youth he had been quite adventurous, always wandering around and discovering new things. Now that he felt so young again, that part of himself seemed to be reasserting itself. While he loved Erebor and it would always be his home, his yearning to see what was over the horizon had been growing stronger in him lately. They rode out into the brilliant morning and soon came to the border of Mirkwood where they turned south along the forest's edge. It was pleasant enough, but they were careful not to venture too far under the shadow of the trees. Thorin noticed a few rabbits about and thought he would try his bow on them, a couple would make a good meal. He hit the first one he shot at, running away from his horse, but right after he did Hector appeared from behind and sniffed at the dead animal. His disappointment was evident.

"I am sorry, Mister Wolf," Thorin said with a smile. "I did not know you were hunting that one." Hector picked up the rabbit and brought it to Thorin, who hesitated then took it from the wolf's mouth. He removed his arrow and cautiously handed it back. The wolf quickly ate the rabbit and then trotted off. As they continued down the trail Hector flushed another rabbit and when Thorin did not shoot he gave him a long-suffering look. The next one Thorin again hit with his first shot. Hector brought it to him to remove the arrow and then ate it. This repeated itself two more times then when Thorin had shot a fifth rabbit, Hector brought it to him and trotted off, apparently tired of the game.

"That one is for our dinner," Kaylea said. She had been watching the whole thing with some amusement, glad that Thorin was finally building a rapport with her wolf. "That is some fine shooting, my king."

"One coney will make a poor supper," Thorin said. "Find me one more, Master Wolf!" He called to Hector. He tied the rabbit to his saddle and watched as the wolf trotted in a searching pattern, nose to the ground. Thorin held his bow ready. "I confess I always expect him to answer when I say something to him. He does talk to you, I am sure."

"Talk is not the right word," Kaylea said. "He is not able to speak a language. He can put pictures in my mind."

Thorin stared at her. He knew she and Hector were able to communicate somehow, but such a thing seemed utterly fantastic. "You are joking, surely."

"No," Kaylea said. Hector flushed another rabbit for Thorin, who shot it through the head with his first arrow. "Nice shot!"

That evening, as they were roasting the coneys over the fire. Thorin stood looking into the forest. It was the first time he had been near it since he had been held in the dungeons of the Woodland King. They were camped some distance from the trees, in a well-used campsite ringed around one side with rocks and a small spring bubbling up beside.

"I will never like this forest," he said, almost to himself. "Too many bad memories."

Kaylea looked up at him. "Surely you forgave Thranduil when he came to fight at your side against the goblin army?"

"No. I will never forgive him," Thorin said. "And he came to make war on me, his mind was changed because that goblin army showed up. Also he came because there are jewels in Erebor he very much desires."

"Did you not give him these jewels for his part in the battle? I thought all who participated were given a share."

Thorin shrugged. "No share was given to the Elven King," he smiled. "Unless Bard or Bilbo gave him a part of their share. It is what he deserves for holding us prisoner for so many months."

Kaylea shook her head. "I would reconsider, my king. It is better to have friends as neighbors than enemies."

"Thranduil is no friend of mine, and he never will be."

Kaylea and Thorin rode beside the forest of Mirkwood for several days. The road they were on was one of the main routes from Dale to Rohan and the South and they came to another inn near the ford in the River Running. Though he would never admit it to Kaylea, Thorin was a bit sore from days in the saddle and looked forward to a night in a real bed, especially since it would likely be the last before they turned east. At dinner that night Kaylea finally opened up and told Thorin a bit about her country. She told him the Dorsai was only a part of a very large and populous country, with many different kingdoms who were frequently at war with each other. The Dorsai was not rich in resources, the people supported themselves by selling their expertise in the arts of war, and they were greatly sought after by all who knew of them. The Dorsai were organized into nine different clans, they had no king instead they had a council that met several times a year where the leader of each clan had a vote. In the past the clans had made war on each other but there had been peace now for many years and different clans often fought side by side. It reminded Thorin somewhat of the Seven Families of his own people. When she described her home, Thorin could hear the love in her voice. A northern land along the sea, full of forests and tall mountains. Thorin also got the impression Kaylea did not like her lord much, though she seemed to know him very well. She would only say she was not required to like him, only respect him. Thorin felt there must be much more to this story, but he did not press her.

After dinner Thorin returned to their room first, Kaylea wanted to check on the horses before retiring. Thorin was waiting in bed when she came in. He liked to watch her undress, to see her body revealed as she removed her heavy clothes. She bore many old scars on her skin, but her body was so perfectly proportioned, so lean and sculpted she looked almost like a work of art. Kaylea smiled at him, knowing he was watching. She took off her clothes a bit slower than necessary, removing each of the sheaths of knives she wore deliberately and placing them on the dresser. When she approached the bed Thorin threw the covers back for her and she slipped in beside him.

"Be a shame to not make use of this comfortable bed," he said, taking her in his arms.

"You are not too tired, my king?" Kaylea teased, reaching down to take hold of him.

"Never for you, my love," Thorin replied kissing her, first on the mouth then her neck, working his way down to her breasts.

The next morning they crossed the river and turned east into the Brown Lands, as they were called. It was a wide and largely treeless land of gently rolling grassy hills. At this time of year the hills were still mostly green, but the grass was already starting to brown. There were no villages or permanent settlements, the land was home to tribes of nomadic herders who lived among their cattle, sheep and goats, fattening their herds on the abundant grass before taking them to market in Gondor or north to Dale. Kaylea warned Thorin these nomads had no loyalties to any master and were suspicious of outsiders, if they encountered any they would have to proceed carefully. She knew they held Elves in a kind of awe, and they often took her to be an Elf, but she had no idea their opinion about Dwarves. The land was also often visited by orcs and other fell things, travelling from Mordor to the Misty Mountains or preying on the herds of the nomads. They would have to travel carefully, follow alongside the river taking winding paths among the hills to avoid being seen and keeping watch at night.

They travelled many days through this hilly country. Although it seemed monotonous at first, little valleys would open up between the hills with groves of trees, turbid streams and sometimes walls of exposed rock. Kaylea seemed to know the land well, and would lead the way to hidden campsites along the river, water for the horses and perfect for washing off the dust of the day's travel. They fell into a kind of routine, travelling for much of the day before resting for some hours and then moving on again. In this manner they travelled for many days. They did not speak much as they were riding, but once they stopped they often found themselves sitting by the campfire and talking for hours. On the nights she washed her hair Thorin would do Kaylea's braids and then she would lean back against him to sit and watch the fire burn down. One night when Thorin was lying with his head in her lap, Kaylea returned the favor. She was surprisingly fast at it, Thorin's smile kept getting wider. As Kaylea was putting the last bead on, she looked at him quizzically.

"What is it, my king? Am I violating some Dwarvish custom?"

"Not at all, my love. We are properly married now." Thorin reached up to stroke one of her braids. She laughed and bent to kiss him.

"The next time I am in Rivendell I am going to ask Lord Elrond if these are really Dwarvish customs."

Thorin gave her his best innocent look. "I would not lie to you, my love."

Kaylea did not sleep as much as Thorin so she often kept watch. She would always lay down with him, often they would make love and she would curl against him until he fell asleep. Thorin found her bedroll one of the most comfortable he had ever slept in, it had some kind of cushion under it that made the ground much easier to sleep on. And sharing it with the woman he loved made the nights some of the best he had ever had in the Wild. The nights when Kaylea slept were his favorite, he loved to stay awake and listen to her breathing. Whichever of them kept watch they were usually up before dawn, Kaylea would make coffee and they would eat whatever was left of dinner the night before. Thorin found himself very fond of her Dorsai coffee, it was strong and had a faint flavor of cinnamon, a few sips and he was instantly awake and refreshed.

One morning after four days in this country they were following a narrow trail between the hills that suddenly opened up into a wide, level space. Kaylea reined her horse to a halt. There was a long spear planted right in the middle of the trail. Just as she stopped her horse a group of riders came around the foot of the hill at the other end of the valley. They were dressed all in brown, brown cloaks with the hoods pulled over their heads and heavily armed.

Kaylea looked over her shoulder at Thorin. "Raiders. They will be after the horses. There may also be some behind us"

Thorin unshouldered his bow. "Looks like three for each of us," he said with a grin.

Kaylea jumped off her horse and went to stand next to the spear. Just then another rider appeared, on top of the hill opposite them. He was dressed the same as the others, but the tack of his horse flashed with gold. "There you are," Kaylea said softly. As she spoke two riderless horses cantered up the trail past them. Thorin turned to see Hector standing back down the trail behind them, panting.

So much for the riders behind us, Thorin thought to himself. He looked back towards Kaylea just in time to see her pull the spear out of the ground and in one smooth motion hurl it at the rider on top of the hill. It hit him square in the chest with such force he sailed off the back of his horse. Thorin urged his horse forward, notching an arrow in his bow. _That was an impossible throw_ , he thought. _Impossible._ How did she do that?

Kaylea swung up on her horse, loosing her bow as Hector flashed past them. The group of riders milled about in confusion for a second, their leader and two of their gang gone. When their horses saw the wolf coming at them, four of them bolted. The other two followed as Thorin and Kaylea picked off the riders with their bows, then rode in pursuit of the others. It was all over in just a few minutes, the horses of the raiders were fast but they could not compete with Kaylea's Nihrain and Thorin's Rohirrm mare. When the last raider was dead Kaylea stopped to catch and calm their horses. She then unsaddled them, giving everything a close look to see if there was anything they could use. Thorin dismounted to help, still shaking his head about that spear throw. He had seen Kaylea do a few impossible things, but what he had just seen was beyond reason. You simply could not throw a spear that distance, not with the speed and force to impale a body. It just was not possible, except apparently it was. The head raider's horse came up to join the others, bridle flashing in the sun. Hector was out of sight but the animals were still nervous. Thorin and Kaylea worked quickly. One of the riders had a fresh haunch of some deerlike animal tied to his saddle, they took that and the box of salt and spices the man was also carrying. Then they piled the tack up and let the horses go free. They would later find their way to one of the herders on the plains, who could not believe his good luck.

Two days later they saw a spur of the Ered Luthui looming in the south and the terrain became flatter. The first day on the plain they encountered a group of herders moving a number of cattle in the opposite direction. They spotted Thorin and Kaylea but kept moving, their herding dogs stopped repeatedly to look at Hector but eventually moved on. The big wolf stayed close to Kaylea's horse, apparently trying to look like a dog. Soon they came to where the River Running met the Redwater and turned south, now following alongside this larger river for two days before it turned to the east. Thorin remembered it later as a very long journey over monotonous country. Everything was different shades of brown, occasionally they would see herds in the distance and several times small bands of orcs during the night, but they passed through without incident. Finally they came to the Ash Mountains and the land of Ithilien in the foothills. The soils were rocky but tall fir trees and flowering bushes grew on the slopes and little grassy meadows opened up unexpectedly as they travelled. It was a fair land, a welcome change after the monotonous journey along the river.

"We must be very careful now," Kaylea warned as they sat by the fire that evening working on her weapons. "There are not many eyes on this land but the mountains will be watched."

Thorin nodded, he was rubbing some oil into the sword Kaylea had given him, making sure it was ready for action. He had not had occasion to use it except for sparring, he was rather looking forward to using it in a real fight.

"Where do we travel from here?" Thorin asked.

"I want to spend some time at the edge of the mountains, discover which passes are being used. Then there is an old path through the mountains about fifty miles to the east," Kaylea said. "On the southern side there is an old watchtower, mostly a ruin now, at the edge of the plain of Udun. From there we will be able to see the fortress of Barad-dur, once we do that we will know if we need to go closer."

Thorin was about to reply when his head was suddenly filled with the oddest vision. He was standing on the deck of a large sailing ship, he could hear the creak of the timbers, the crack of the sails. He was looking out onto a frozen sea which the ship was somehow moving over at a great speed. He could feel a cold wind on his face, and the sounds of a harsh language being spoken.

"Hector," he heard Kaylea say softly and just as suddenly the vision was gone. He looked over at the wolf sleeping on the other side of the fire to see him raise his head and look at Kaylea. She looked at Thorin. "I assume you saw that."

Thorin blinked, shaking his head. "What was that?"

"Hector was dreaming," Kaylea said. "You remember I said he can put pictures in my mind."

Thorin looked from her to Hector and back. "But what was that? Where was I?"

Kaylea took a deep breath, poking at the fire with a stick. "That is from a far, far country, much farther away than Dorsai, where they sail frozen oceans in tall ships."

Thorin shook his head, he knew Kaylea well enough to know she would say no more on the matter. The vision had been so detailed, so intense. Thorin longed to be on that ship. "I envy you, my love, this life you lead." He looked at her. "One day, I want to sail that ice ocean with you."

She smiled at him. "Perhaps you will one day, my king."


	4. The Pass of Udun

4\. THE PASS OF UDUN

Thorin and Kaylea spent many days along the slopes of the Ash Mountains. Summer was starting to come on, the days getting warmer, the sun hot on their backs. Thorin had never been much of a tracker, but he was learning the craft from Kaylea. There were many trails leading into the mountains, she showed him how to tell the numbers that had come and gone on the paths, if they were burdened on their way out or in, how to tell the age of the tracks. She was always particularly interested in campsites, carefully going over everything when they found one. Many of the trails they found were being used, but not very regularly. Several times at night they saw bands of orcs on the paths, but were able to stay well clear of them. Kaylea was careful to choose campsites that were well hidden and they would move every few days, working their way west to the pass of Udun. The more time they spent together, the more they talked Thorin felt like he was beginning to understand how her mind worked, in fact he found he was starting to think in the same manner. When she had last been in Erebor he had been astonished by the way she always seemed several steps ahead of everyone else, her mind making connections he had not even considered. Now he was starting to do it himself, it was all about information. What you learned about one thing could lead you to think about something else very differently.

The day they approached the pass it had been raining lightly, which Kaylea said was lucky as it was more likely they would be unobserved. She had told Thorin they would not be taking the horses, it was too exposed and they would be easily spotted. They stopped in a little box canyon a few miles east where the horses would be safe. Hadrian was a trained warhorse and seemed very fond of Thorin's little mare, Hector would stay with them to stand guard. As they were readying to leave Kaylea looked up a couple times to watch flocks of birds flying overhead. Thorin followed her gaze.

"Are those spies of the enemy?" He asked her. Kaylea shook her head.

"I am not sure," she replied. "We need to be very cautious this close to the mountains."

They spent the day separating what they would take with them. Kaylea said they would need food and water for at least four days. She took both her swords, wearing one over either shoulder across her back. As she and Thorin got ready to leave in the afternoon light Hector came and stood before her, looking at her intently with his yellow eyes. Kaylea took his head in her hands and stood there for a long time, Thorin could only guess at what was passing between them. While he had always been a bit wary of the big wolf he regretted they had to leave him behind, the animal was very useful in a fight. But without the horses the road home would be much longer and more dangerous. Finally Kaylea dropped her hands and, after giving Hector a quick scratch on the chin, turned towards the pass. Thorin followed her, he looked back once to see the wolf sitting in the trail watching them walk away.

It was almost full dark and Kaylea and Thorin had just reached to trail to the pass when they heard harsh voices coming down. They quickly moved to the shadow of a grove of trees just off to the side. As they watched a dozen big orcs came down the trail and turned away from them to the west. These were not common servants of the Enemy, they were tall and well armed. Thorin was thinking they were out of danger but just then the wind shifted and the two at the back of the group caught their scent.

"Ay, what is that?" One of them said. "Smells like manflesh!" The rest of the orcs turned at the words of their companion, sniffing the air. "You are getting old, if you cannot smell a Dwarf!" Another of the orcs said, they were all turning and peering into the trees. Thorin and Kaylea looked at each other, there was nothing else to do now. They stepped forward, drawing their swords. Just as the last time they had fought together Thorin and Kaylea moved almost as one, seeming to feel instinctually where the other was going to strike and which direction to move. The last two orcs they took down seemed to be protecting a third, who was carrying a wrapped burden. When Kaylea cut his hamstrings and knocked him to the ground his package rolled away and out of it's coverings. A large glass ball. Kaylea put a foot on the orc to keep him from rising and held her sword to his throat.

Thorin went to inspect the ball. He moved it with his boot.

"Is this what it looks like? A palantir?" Thorin had never seen one, but had heard them described. Powerful weapons from an earlier age.

"Throw those cloths over it, make sure you do not touch it. Someone may be watching!" Kaylea warned. Thorin bent to pick up the cloth it had been wrapped in. He looked over just as Kaylea pulled the orc's dagger out of his belt and stabbed him through the chest with it.

"The dagger is in your heart," she said, in the Black Speech. "I take it out you die. Where were you taking this?"

The orc chuckled, deep in his throat. "I am not telling you, bitch. Go ask the Master yourself!"

Kaylea smiled, not the soft smile Thorin was used to, this one was a threat. She ground her heel into a wound in the creatures leg, the bone cracked. "How about now?"

The orc shrieked. "We are supposed to leave it to be found. That is all you will get out of me, you evil cunt! May you get what you deserve!"

Kaylea shook her head, but before she could respond Thorin stepped over and pulled the knife out of the orc's chest. He put his foot on the creature's chest and watched it bleed out.

"No one talks to you like that in my presence," he said, his face dark. Kaylea could see he was angry.

Kaylea looked at him. "I have been called worse. And I was not done with him."

"Yes, you were," Thorin said curtly. He held up one of the cloths the orb had been wrapped in, there was a sketch on it, a crude map. "And I was done listening to him."

Kaylea looked at it, then smiled at Thorin. "That does change things," she said. They looked at the map, but it was hard to make out detail in the moonlight. Kaylea stashed it in her coat to look at later then turned to survey the scene, deciding the best way to clean it up. After searching around Kaylea found a ditch down the hill where they could throw the bodies. If they covered them with some brush they should keep for a few days, hopefully by the time they were discovered Thorin and Kaylea would be on their way back to Erebor. Moving the bodies and cleaning the traces of the fight from the trail took better than an hour, but it was still early enough Kaylea felt they could make it more than halfway to the watchtower during the night. Thorin hid the palantir where they could retrieve it on the way back, then they headed up the pass. They moved as quickly as they could, taking care to move quietly.

In the grey hour before dawn they spied a shallow cave up the side of the mountain and decided to take shelter there to wait out the day. It was a steep climb up shifting rocks, but seemed to be a natural formation and had not been used recently. Thorin carefully inspected the cave and pronounced it safe before throwing his things down and taking a seat. Kaylea deferred to his judgement, he was the expert. They ate some of the Dorsai cram, which Thorin found rather tasty. Small square bars, soft and quite filling. Now that it was light Kaylea took out the map they had taken from the orc. She and Thorin looked at it together, the drawing was very crude but it looked like the route was north to Gundabad. There also appeared to be a second destination, a route marked over a different pass toward Gondor.

"It appears they are delivering two of those things," Thorin mused. Kaylea nodded her agreement.

"Two different parties, but one map." Kaylea inspected the map closely. "Angmar does not surprise me, but Gondor?" She shook her head, folding the map and putting it back in her coat. They both pondered the mystery as they settled in to wait for dark. Once it was dusk they started moving again, picking their way between boulders and fallen rock. They came to the suggestion of a narrow trail an hour before dawn and started up. They did not see a living thing the whole time they were on the exposed trail and Kaylea breathed a long sigh of relief when they finally reached the shelter of the old watchtower. The sun was up now, casting a pale light over the expanse of Mordor laid out before them. Kaylea and Thorin stood together between the old columns of the tower looking to the south. Mount Doom rose up from the plain, smoke drifting from its cone. Just to the east was Sauron's fortress of Barad-dur. From this distance it looked quite abandoned. Thorin looked at Kaylea and saw she had what appeared to be twin spyglasses she was holding to her eyes. She studied the tower for some time.

"It does look like there have been recent repairs," Kaylea said at length. "We will have to wait for dark, the servants of the Dark Lord do not work in sunlight." She handed the glasses to Thorin, who looked at them curiously before holding them to his eyes. They were amazingly clear, much better than his glass he kept on his desk. He could see the walls of the tower clearly, it did look as though it had been repaired.

They waited out the day, Kaylea was restless and paced back and forth. At one point a flock of crows passed by quite close and she flattened herself against the stone, watching them. After they had gone she started poking around in the remains of the tower.

"We may have company tonight," she said. "We need to find some charcoal or something we can make a fire with that will not smoke, and get some torches made. Fire will be one of our best weapons." Thorin helped her look about and between the two of them they found some charred wood, and some less burned pieces that would do for torches. While Thorin got a little fire going Kaylea wrapped the newer pieces of wood with strips of cloth, adding a few drops of oil to each. She stashed them next to the fire which Thorin kept going carefully, keeping the coals hot enough so it did not smoke and give them away. As dusk turned to dark the fortress to the south of them seemed to come alive. A red glow could be seen from underneath it and a great many orcs swarmed around it. Kaylea watched the scene thoughtfully, Thorin wondered now if the preparations he had set in motion would be enough. He felt a great sense of dread, weighing heavily on him, it was a moment before he realized it was not from the scene before him, it was something else. He looked at Kaylea but she was already turning around, drawing her black sword. Something stepped through one of the ruined arches, a tall figure, hooded and robed in black, a long sword shining in its hands. Kaylea stepped forward, holding her sword before her, Thorin could see it shone with a peculiar blue light.

"Get behind me," she told him. Thorin looked at her skeptically.

"I think not," he said, drawing his sword. A second hooded figure followed the first, Kaylea's sword seemed to give them pause and they moved to the side. Kaylea moved to keep them in front of her.

"Your sword is no use now," Kaylea said, her voice low. "Get those torches lit, they do fear fire." She had moved so the fire was behind her, Thorin hesitated, not wanting to leave her side. "Go!" She insisted. Thorin moved back and shoved the torches into the fire, they quickly sprung to life. The first figure came at Kaylea then, she parried its stroke and deftly knocked its sword from its grasp, then stabbed it in what should have been its throat. It gave a piercing wail and fell backwards. The second one came at Thorin, he knocked its sword aside and then drove his torch into its garments. The creature shrieked, a blood-curdling sound that almost froze Thorin in his tracks. It swung its sword at him again, Thorin was just able to parry the stroke then it turned and fled, its garments engulfed in flame. Thorin turned to see the other one up and coming at him, a long knife in its hand. He got his sword up, but the thing knocked it aside with its hand and lunged forward, knife at the ready. Suddenly Kaylea was between them, driving her sword through the thing's midsection. Thorin jumped to retrieve his second torch and threw it at the creature, it lodged in the black robes and they burst into flame. The thing staggered back, Kaylea withdrew her sword and brought it down on its arm, a metal gauntlet fell to the floor, the knife still in its hand. The creature gave a dreadful shriek, a sound Thorin would remember as long as he lived. Then it fell backwards through one of the arches, its robes consumed by fire. Kaylea and Thorin looked at each other, then a number of huge orcs poured into the tower. Kaylea sheathed her black sword and drew the other one, she and Thorin stood back to back and fought them off. Thorin was again grateful for the sword Kaylea had given him, it sliced cleanly through the armor of the orcs, no metal could stop it. Thorin was pulling his sword out of the last orc's chest when he looked over and saw Kaylea kneeling, her hand on her shoulder. He rushed to her side and knelt beside her.

"You are hurt?" He put his hand on hers. She looked at him, pain evident in her face, then lifted her hand to reveal an ugly stab wound below her collarbone just at the edge of her tunic. Thorin knew her well enough to know this was not an ordinary wound, she would not normally show any pain from something so small. He looked at the metal glove on the floor and the long blade, then back to her. "That was meant for me," he said.

"It is a soldier's duty to protect his king," Kaylea replied. She took a deep breath and lurched to her feet. "That smarts. _Fucking_ Ringwraiths." She stooped to pick up the blade, Thorin watched astonished as it disappeared in her hand, leaving the hilt. Kaylea put the hilt in her pocket and turned to Thorin. "We must make haste back to the horses. Feel like a run?"

Thorin stepped next to her, laying a hand on her arm. "You have medicines to heal that wound?"

Kaylea shook her head. "No. That was a Morgul blade."

Thorin's eyes went wide. "What are we to do, then?"

"There are only a few in Middle Earth that can heal this. Elrond is one, the Lady Galadriel is another."

"We are more than two weeks ride from Lorien!" Thorin exclaimed, becoming more alarmed by the minute.

"Yes," Kaylea nodded. "We should get moving."

Thorin later remembered little of the rest of that night. Running, fighting bands of orcs, more running, more fighting. All he could see in his mind was that wound on Kaylea's shoulder and think about how far they had to go if she had any chance to be healed. It was mid-morning the next day when they reached the horses. Hector came trotting out to greet them and went straight to Kaylea, Thorin thought he could see the concern on the wolf's face. Kaylea smiled at him and ruffled his ears, he stayed by her side, sniffing at her shoulder. She went to her saddlebags and pulled out a vial of some salve. She sat down and drew one of her throwing knives, before Thorin could ask what she was doing she drove it into the stab wound, wiggling it back and forth.

" _What are you doing?!_ " Thorin asked, aghast, moving quickly to stand beside her.

Kaylea grimaced. "This wound has to stay open. Morgul blades break into pieces that stay in the wound, if it closes up the fragment will move further into my body and be much harder to remove." She looked at him with a faint smile. "I heal much faster than you do, I will have to keep opening it up, though this will help." She indicated the salve as she applied it to the cut.

"Now, let me take care of that wound in your side, my king."

"I find it hard to believe you have nothing to treat that wound," Thorin said as Kaylea was binding his side. "Those that saw my injuries said I should have died at the Battle of the Five Armies, yet I live."

"It is not the wound, but the weapon," Kaylea replied. "Only a deep magic can remove the blade fragment."

After Kaylea had dressed his wound, which was not deep, they saddled their horses and turned them homeward, Kaylea tied the palantir to the back of her saddle. She estimated they could make it to Lorien in less than fourteen days by alternately riding and resting the horses around the clock. For the first days Kaylea seemed almost normal, she was a bit pale and seemed tired but otherwise acted as she always did. The horses took to the fast pace very well and Thorin was of a mind to push them harder, but Kaylea demurred. Push them too hard and they would risk a breakdown, she said. Without them there was no chance of getting to Lorien in time. Thorin chafed at the winding route they had to follow through the grasslands but knew it was necessary. He felt so helpless, watching Kaylea getting sicker, wishing there was something more he could do.

By the tenth day on the road Kaylea was growing visibly weaker, several times Thorin saw her sway in her saddle and almost fall. He persuaded her to stop for a rest in the shade of a rock face next to a stream and sent her to sit down while he unbridled the horses so they could graze. When he sat down next to her, she leaned against him. Thorin moved his arm and guided her head into his lap, Kaylea sighed, closing her eyes. Thorin looked down at her, stroking her hair away from her face. They sat there for some time and Thorin thought she was asleep, but she suddenly spoke.

"Very soon I will go into a kind of deep sleep," she told him. "Do not worry, I will live for many days yet but I cannot stay awake much longer. You will have to keep this wound open, you have seen me do it." Thorin nodded. "Tie me on my horse and ride until you reach the Anduin, then follow that to Lorien. Hector can help you, he knows the way, though he will not pass the borders of that land. The Elves of Lorien believe all wolves are servants of the enemy. When you reach that border your hardest task will begin."

"What do you mean, my love?"

"The Lorien border guards will intercept you. You will have to convince them to take me to their Lady."

"But you are known there, are you not?"

Kaylea smiled weakly. "I am known to some, not to all. It has been many years since I was in that fair land, and I do not have to tell you how the Elves feel about your folk."

Thorin looked as grim as he felt. "I will convince them to help you," he said. "They must do it."

Kaylea closed her eyes again, Thorin sat looking at her, she looked so pale. "I cannot lose you," he said softly, stroking the side of her face. "I cannot do it. I cannot face a life without you in it."

Kaylea opened her eyes, she reached up to brush his tears from his cheek. "I have no plans to leave you yet, my king."


	5. Galadriel

5\. GALADRIEL

Early the next morning when it was time to set out Thorin could not raise Kaylea. She had laid down when they stopped and passed into the deep sleep she had warned him of. He checked her wound, it was open and draining a white fluid but it continued to look very ugly. The edges were black and it had black tendrils spreading from it. Thorin was just debating how he was going to get her on her horse when Hector came running into the campsite. He nosed at Kaylea, seeing she was unresponsive he looked pointedly at Thorin. Thorin met the wolf's eyes, trying to prepare himself. An image of warg-mounted orcs filled his mind, a distance off on the crest of one of the brown hills behind them.

Thorin's heart sank, how could he fight them off by himself? He would have Hector's help, but would that be enough? He could not communicate with the wolf as well as Kaylea did. There could be no doubt the wargs had their scent and were hot on the trail. He looked at the wolf, trying to think of the best way to prepare a defense. Another image came into his mind, a long, flat-sided metal weapon with a stock on one end and a sighting spyglass on the top. Thorin looked at the long scabbard under Kaylea's saddle, then back to Hector.

Hector snorted at him and started to trot off up the nearest hill, he looked back to see if Thorin was following. Since he had no better ideas Thorin reached into the scabbard and drew forth Kaylea's metal weapon. It was heavier than he expected, he put it on his shoulder and followed Hector. As they reached the top of the hill, the wolf lay down and crawled forward on his belly, Thorin mimicked him getting down on his hands and knees. From the top of the hill they could see quite a way south. Thorin could see the wargs plainly, a group of six on top of a hill almost directly south maybe half a league away, another two down on the trail he and Kaylea had travelled last night. They seemed to be paused in their hunt, maybe deciding if they wanted to go on in the light. Thorin lay down, holding Kaylea's weapon to his shoulder, as he had seen her do. The weapon reminded him very much of a crossbow, as soon as he put his fingers on the trigger he felt the weapon vibrate slightly. Looking through the glass again he could see the orcs as close as if they were standing before him. The glass had a sort of red cross in it, he braced himself on his elbows and lined it up with the orcs chest and felt for the release. He squeezed it and heard a soft sigh, the orc fell back off his mount, hit in the shoulder. Thorin moved the glass to the warg, aligned the cross differently and fired another shot. The warg dropped, shot in the head. Thorin quickly moved the glass from one orc and warg to the next, dropping them where they stood. When he adjusted his aim to find the two that had been at the bottom of the hill they were both running back toward Mordor, so he shot them both in the back. He then sat up on his knees and looked at the weapon in his hands. This weapon, whatever it was, could change the way wars were fought forever. _Is this how they were fought in Kaylea's land?_ He saw now it had little doors on it, he flipped one open and a flat metal case slid partway out, he pulled it out and looked in it, it was filled with tiny metal cylinders. Thorin inspected them carefully, so this was the secret. Shaking his head to clear it he got to his feet, he slid the case back in the weapon and closed it up. He did not have time to waste pondering these mysteries. He had to get on the trail again, hopefully they could reach the Anduin today.

When he got back to the campsite Thorin put Kaylea's weapon away and saddled the horses. It took him a moment to figure out how to get Kaylea on her horse, she was surprisingly heavy and her horse very tall, but he could put her over his shoulder and slide her face down over her saddle. Hector helped him by standing on the opposite side of the horse and pulling her over by her sleeve. It took them two more days to reach the river where they turned to follow its course, Thorin leading Kaylea's warhorse with his mare. Thorin and Hector developed a system for getting Kaylea on and off her big horse, every time they stopped Thorin would lay her down and check her wound. It pained him to keep inserting a knife in it to keep it open which he had to do at least once a day, but he told himself she could not feel it. Her wound continued to look uglier, the black tendrils growing longer. Once he had checked her wound Thorin would lay Kaylea's head in his lap and put his hand on her chest to feel her breathing. He was too worried now to bother looking for food, he just ate her cram and hoped he would get to the Lady of Lorien in time.

After two days along the river the mountains were getting very close, they came to a wide, fast flowing stream that wound its way out of an impressive wood. Thorin could see many tall trees that seemed to get thicker further in. Unlike Mirkwood, this forest had a welcoming feel, the ground carpeted with thick mosses and grass, the sound of the wind in the leaves almost musical. There was a level path along the stream, lined with white stones. Thorin followed it, wondering how long he would travel before he ran into the border guards Kaylea had warned him about. He had been following the path for a couple hours before he realized that Hector had disappeared. He stopped to look around for him, but saw no sign. When he turned his horse's head forward again there were a group of Elves standing in the path, bows at the ready.

"Who are you and what are you doing in this land?" The foremost Elf asked, stepping forward. Other Elves came forward to take hold of the bridles of the horses.

Thorin dismounted his horse. He bowed as low as he could make himself. "I am a stranger in this land, but my errand is urgent," he began in Elvish. "My companion Kaylea Wolf is known to you. She has been stabbed with a Morgul blade and needs the healing skills of your Lady if she is to survive."

The Elves looked at each other. One of them came forward to look at Kaylea lying face down across the back of her horse, he moved her to look at her face and saw the wound. Thorin heard his sharp intake of breath as his fingers touched the edges of her wound. He traced both edges carefully, as if feeling for something. Thorin heard Kaylea take a deep breath, he looked sharply at the Elf. The Elf looked back at him, his face concerned.

"He speaks the truth about his companion," the Elf said, turning toward to the others.

The first Elf looked at Thorin curiously. "Who are you that comes asking aid from the Lady of Lorien?"

"Give me your name and I will give you mine," Thorin replied gruffly. He never liked dealing with Elves and his patience was already near the end. They could see Kaylea was wounded, why did they hesitate?

The Elf smiled. "So, you _are_ a Dwarf. I thought at first you were too tall to be one. Very well, I shall speak first. I am called Elrik, a Captain of the Guard of Caras Galadhon."

"I am Thorin, son of Thrain. Also called Oakenshield."

Elrik's eyebrows shot up. "Also called the King of Erebor." He regarded Thorin with renewed suspicion. "What is the King Under the Mountain doing riding a horse into Lorien with a Human woman wounded with a Morgul blade?"

Thorin took a deep breath. "That is a long story, Master Elf. And while I do not mind telling it, better it be done as we travel to your Lady."

"I have not yet decided to admit you into our land, your majesty. Dwarves are not allowed to pass the borders of Lothlorien, that is our law. Because of your companion I may allow it, but I must consider carefully."

The Elf who had inspected Kaylea's wound put a hand on Elrik's arm. "I do not believe our Lady would refuse to help one so injured." He led Elrik away, the other Elves not holding the horses joined them. They had a long discussion out of Thorin's earshot.

Thorin stood by Kaylea, knowing he could do nothing now but wait. He leaned his head against Kaylea's back, listening to her breathing. It was low and shallow, sometimes with long pauses between.

After a time, the Elves came back. The Elf who had checked Kaylea's wound stepped forward. "There is not a question of admitting your companion to our land. We will take this Kaylea Wolf to the Lady Galadriel, you will have to remain here and await her permission to continue."

"No," said Thorin flatly. "I go where she goes." He looked from one Elf to the other. "I am no spy, and I do not believe I should be treated as one. I have told you Kaylea Wolf is well known to the Lady of Lorien, indeed to all the White Council. Do you really want to face your lord to tell her you let an Elf-friend suffer on her doorstep?"

Elrik looked at Thorin skeptically for a long moment, considering his words. "An Elf-friend she may be, but we do not know you. I am responsible for the safety of this land," he said at length. "Our security must be protected, if I allow you to accompany her when we have set foot in the Naith, you must go blindfolded."

"I will not," Thorin replied, crossing his arms. "I have done your people no wrongs. When your people came to Erebor they were not treated as criminals. I have been a guest in the house of Elrond, I must say he is a much more welcoming host than his kindred on this side of the mountains."

Elrik glared at Thorin. "Lord Elrond does not have a host of goblins living on his doorstep thanks to your people!"

Thorin scowled at him. The word Kaylea had used back in Udun came to his mind, he had no idea what it meant, but he had liked the way she spat it out: _Fucking_ Elves!

The two of them stood staring at each other for several seconds, Thorin willing himself not to strangle the Elf. Finally the other Elf who had examined Kaylea stepped between them. "My captain, a gravely wounded warrior is at our door, she is fading. Can we not come to some agreement? Send a runner, he will be back when we reach the Celebrant, then we will know our Lady's decision in the matter."

Elrik looked at Kaylea and seemed to consider for a moment, then he nodded. He turned to the other Elves and they had a conversation in hushed tones, one took off running through the forest, the others surrounded the horses and Elrik led the way along the path. Thorin took the bridle of Kaylea's horse and started after the others, who were leading his horse ahead. The Elf who had spoken fell in beside him.

"Thank you for your words, Master Elf," Thorin said gruffly.

"I am Vanya, I am a healer," the Elf said. Thorin looked sharply at him. "I could not stay silent, not once I had set eyes on that wound."

"Can you heal her?" He asked.

Vanya shook his head. "No, she has passed beyond my skill," he said. "The Lady Galadriel can, you were right to come here." He looked at Thorin, his face grave. "You must not give up hope."

Thorin nodded, but did not reply. The forest of Lothlorien was one of the wonders of Middle Earth, but Thorin remembered little of it. The trees became larger, with white bark and golden leaves, the stream they travelled beside ran fast and clear, making a merry sound. The Elves talked among themselves. Late in the day they came to a kind of ford, the Elves quickly strung up a rope bridge to cross, Thorin mounted his horse and led Hadrian across. On the far bank the Elves paused. Now they were in Naith, the heart of Lothlorien, it was their law that all strangers must go blindfolded from this point. As they were obviously going to wait for the messenger, Thorin pulled Kaylea off her horse to check her wound, and sit with her while they were waiting. Vanya came to help him. Kaylea's wound was starting to close again, it was almost ridiculous how fast she healed. Thorin took out his knife to open it when Vanya spoke.

"If you will permit me?" He asked. Thorin nodded and the Elf carefully probed the edges of the wound. Thorin watched as he closed his eyes and spoke softly to himself. Kaylea took a deep breath, a tiny shade of color came to her face. The wound gaped open, Vanya carefully wiped the white fluid and blood away with a cloth, then handed it to Thorin so he could continue. He wondered at the Dwarf king. He could see by the way Thorin touched this woman, how he smoothed her hair away from her face, the way her wound pained him, that he cared for her deeply. Vanya could see the same braids in her hair as the king, _Were they married?_ A very strange couple, if they were. He could sense the Dwarf had pushed himself beyond exhaustion and was moving almost on instinct. The king took a seat against a tree and gently lowered the woman's head into his lap, he leaned his head back and almost immediately dozed off. Vanya sat nearby to keep an eye on them, that wound worried him.

The sun had set and stars were just beginning to twinkle overhead when the runner came back. He went immediately to Elrik and they held a long, hushed conversation. At length Elrik came over to stand beside Thorin, who saw him coming and stood up.

"I have received a message from the Lady of the Galadhrim," he said. "She gives you leave to travel freely in her realm. Your companion is known to her, as you said. She asks that you make haste to her at Caras Galadhon, she knows what has brought you." Elrik bowed to Thorin. "It seems I owe you an apology, your majesty. I hope you will forgive me and understand I only acted as I did to preserve the safety the realm."

"I understand," Thorin replied, his face dark. "Forgiveness I may grant you some other day. Now, if you let me ride I can bring Kaylea Wolf to this Caras Galadhon before dawn. Or is it another rule that we must walk?"

Elrik smiled. "It is not our way to travel about on horseback, but the Lady has bid you come with all haste so you are free to ride, if you wish." Thorin nodded and turned to lift Kaylea back on her horse. He shortened the stirrups, as he intended to ride her horse. There was no way he was going to let her ride with an Elf. He looked at Vanya who was standing beside him.

"If you would give me a leg up, Master Elf." Thorin said. "Whoever is to guide us can take my horse, the sooner we are on the move the better." Vanya gave Thorin a boost as another Elf caught the reins of Thorin's horse and jumped up lightly. "Lead on," Thorin said. He clicked his tongue and Hadrian leapt forward, Thorin had to hold him back to let his guide get ahead. The Elf set a fast pace through the forest, Thorin holding Kaylea against him in the saddle, ducking to avoid low hanging branches. In the grey before dawn the path led them toward a hill crowned with immense trees and enclosed by a high wall. The Elf led them along a paved road to a gate and knocked, it swung open though no guards were visible. A wide paved path was laid between the trees, as Thorin looked up he could see many wooden platforms overhead. Though he saw no one Thorin felt there were many Elves in the trees, a hum of conversation drifted on the air and he felt many eyes were on him. They came at last to a huge white tree with a sort of covered stair leading up it. There were two guards who came forward to take the reins of the horses. Thorin jumped down and pulled Kaylea off her horse, putting her over his shoulder. The Elf who had guided him came forward to help but Thorin waved him off.

"I will carry her," he said. They started up the stair and climbed for many long minutes before they reached a huge platform on which was built a wide structure, doors at the end flung wide. Two Elven women came out to greet them and guided Thorin to one of the rooms. It was furnished like a bedroom, with a wide sideboard beside the bed and table and chairs. Gratefully Thorin laid Kaylea on the soft bed, feeling real hope for the first time in days. He sat back in a soft chair and watched as the Elves removed Kaylea's outer clothes and bathed her wound in hot water from a basin. The steam from the water filled the room with a cool fragrance and Thorin found himself feeling refreshed. The Elves finished their task and left him alone with Kaylea. Thorin moved to sit on the bed beside her, taking her hand in his. The attention from the Elves had brought a faint hint of color back to her face, but her hand was still cold. Now that she was wearing only her undershirt Thorin could see the dark tendrils spreading from the wound now extended across her chest and down her arm, the wound itself open and ugly. Her breathing was slow and shallow, he had to listen to make sure she was breathing at all. Thorin brought her hand up to hold it against his face.

"Do not leave me, my love," he whispered. "I could not bear it...stay with me." He had been sitting there for some time when the door opened and the two Elves returned. Behind them came a tall, regal Elf who could only be the Lady Galadriel. She was dressed all in white, a circlet of fine silver on her brow. Thorin rose and bowed low to her, she reminded him immediately of the other golden-haired Elf Lord he had met in Rivendell. The same grace and sense of concealed power. The lady inclined her head to him.

"Thorin, son of Thrain, it has been since another age that a member of the House of Durin has walked in this land. I am sorry you were so long delayed at the border, but we must guard the safety of this land. Welcome to Caras Galadhon, your majesty."

"Thank you, Lady Galadriel," Thorin replied, bowing his head. "It has been a hard road I have travelled, I only hope I have not come too late." He cast his gaze to Kaylea.

Galadriel turned to her then, she stood beside the bed and bent over her, her hand just over the wound in her shoulder, fingers moving like she was searching for something. "When did this happen?" She asked. Thorin had to think for a moment, the last days had been a blur.

"Two days over a fortnight, my lady. At the pass of Udun."

Galadriel looked quickly at him, her surprise evident. "She has carried this for sixteen days? And across the Dagorland?" She turned her attention back to Kaylea. Thorin felt the energy in the room shift, Kaylea suddenly drew a deep breath. Galadriel straightened up. Thorin immediately went to Kaylea's side, more color had returned to her face, her breathing was deeper. He took hold of her hand again.

He looked up at the Elven lady, she smiled at him. "It was good work keeping this wound open, if it had closed this task would be much more difficult."

Thorin looked back at Kaylea. "She mostly did that herself," he said. "She has only been in this sleep for the last five days."

The three Elves looked at each other. "She was awake all that time, with this wound?" One of the other Elves asked, she seem astounded. Thorin smiled at Kaylea.

"She is very strong," he said, he looked up at Galadriel as he spoke. "If you know her, you know that."

Galadriel nodded. "I do indeed, your majesty. But still this surprises me, most who are stabbed with a Morgul blade live only a few days." She looked at him closely, her voice turned serious. "I will try to remove the fragment of this blade now, it is not a pleasant thing to see."

"I will not leave her," Thorin replied, daring the Lady to try to send him away.

"I did not think you would. I wonder if there is anything that would keep you from this woman's side," she said. "Do you have what remains of the knife?"

It was in the pocket of Kaylea's coat, now hanging over a chair. Thorin went and retrieved it, Galadriel took it and examined it closely, turning it over in her hands. She then laid it aside and stood beside the bed, the other Elves stood across from her, their heads bowed. Thorin felt the energy change in the room again, but this was different, it was far more intense. The temperature dropped and he could feel Galadriel gathering power to her. She spread her hands over Kaylea's body, holding them a few inches away and began to chant softly, almost to herself. Thorin did not understand the words but he saw Kaylea's body move, her back arched, the wound turned blacker and started to bleed, slowly at first, then blood poured from it. She started to thrash violently, the two Elves held her down, Thorin grabbed hold of her arm and held it down, his other hand on her hip to keep her still. This went on for some minutes, Kaylea continued to fight the arms holding her. She was so strong the three of them could not have kept her down, Thorin guessed something the Lady was doing was also holding her. Galadriel continued to speak, more stridently now. The temperature continued to drop, until Thorin could see his breath and there was frost on Kaylea's wound. The Lady moved one hand directly over it, her fingers searching, Kaylea suddenly went still, her body rigid. Thorin felt the energy shift again, sharply. He found it hard to breathe, then as he watched a tiny triangle of metal rose out of Kaylea's wound into Galadriel's waiting fingers. She plucked in from the air and brought it close to her eyes, it vanished in a puff of smoke, just as the knife had. The room suddenly grew brighter, the silver light returning. The two Elves quickly moved a dish to catch the blood flowing from Kaylea's wound, but they did not try to staunch it. Her color was already returning, her breathing deep and regular.

He looked at Galadriel in amazement, she smiled at him. He could see the fatigue in her face.

"Kaylea Wolf is out of danger now," she said. "We will let that wound bleed until the blood is a normal color, then bind it. We must be sure all the poison is flushed from it. That was the large piece of the blade. She will sleep for some days yet." The Lady looked thoughtful. "I have done all I can to heal her body, but I fear her mind has gone far afield. Now she must come back to us on her own." The Elven queen laid her hand on Thorin's shoulder. "You have travelled a long road, burdened by much sorrow. You could use some rest yourself, your majesty. Will you not bathe and at least treat yourself to some clean clothes and hot food? Your lady is safe here."

Thorin looked at Kaylea. He really did not want to leave her, but the Lady Galadriel's words reminded him that he had not bathed in many days and had not eaten in at least two. Kaylea was in good hands now, he knew he could leave her for a few hours.

"You are right, my lady," he said at last. "I am in need of all those things."

"And you shall have them, but first I must ask one more thing of you. I wish to know how Kaylea Wolf was wounded, and also about the orb we found on her horse. Where did you find it, and where are you taking it?"

Thorin and Galadriel sat at Kaylea's bedside while he told her about the fight in the old watchtower. Thorin also told her how they came by the palantir, and that he had no idea what Kaylea had planned to do with it. This seemed to satisfy Galadriel, and when he had answered all her questions she took her leave. One of the other Elves stayed to tend Kaylea's wound while Thorin followed the other to a nearby room where he found his bags had been brought up, a bath already drawn and food laid out on the table. He took advantage of both, and put on the soft clothes that had been provided for him. He was not overfond of the idea of wearing something made by Elves, but they fitted him well and it did feel good to lay aside his heavy travelling clothes for a time. With clean clothes and a full belly he returned to Kaylea's room. She also had been washed and changed, her silver beads shining in her clean hair, her body wrapped in a soft white garment. Her wound now bound in fine cloth. The black tendrils had already faded. Thorin thought she looked as beautiful as he had ever seen her. He laid down on the bed beside her, his arm across her body, his head against her shoulder, and immediately fell into a deep sleep.


	6. Lothlorien

6\. LOTHLORIEN

Kaylea Wolf floated in a warm dream. It was very pleasant there, peaceful and quiet, like floating in a tropical sea. When she started to focus on where she was she saw hooded figures, long swords in the dark, foul creatures running towards her. It was much more pleasant to just lay in the warm water and float. But she kept hearing a voice. It was deep and resonant and familiar. There was something about it that drew her to it, she loved to hear it but could not remember why. She drifted in her dream, but there was that voice again. She realized she was in love with that voice and when it drifted away again she began to seek it out. It felt like it took ages to push past the robed figures with their long knives, past orcs and tall white trees. It was like trying to reach the surface from deep underwater, but she kept pulling herself upward. Then the name came to her: Thorin. The realization of who that voice belonged to hit her like a kick to the head. The man she loved, with his soft smile and quick temper, beautiful hair and amazing blue eyes, and that voice. She had to get back to him, it was much more important than any cozy dream.

Kaylea came to herself slowly. She could feel a soft bed beneath her, hear the wind in the leaves of the mallorn trees, the scent of athelas from the dressing of her wound, she knew she was in Lorien. The next thing she became aware of was Thorin. He was lying next to her on the bed, on top of the coverlet, head on the pillow next to hers. He was holding her hand, his fingers interlaced with hers and he was talking. Kaylea did not listen to what he was saying at first, just the sound of his voice, taking in his frankincense and vetiver smell, the feel of his hand on hers. Was it really possible to love someone as much as she loved this man? His words slowly started to come into focus, he was telling her about the battle of Azanulbizar. A story she had heard many times. Kaylea let him talk for some time, enjoying the sound of his voice, the feel of him next to her. Finally she gave his hand a squeeze.

"Will you just shut up and kiss me," she said. Her voice came out as a husky whisper and she wondered how long she had been down.

Thorin gasped. "My love!" He kissed her hand, holding it between his. "You have come back!"

"I told you I had no plans to leave you," Kaylea attempted a smile, turning her head toward him. "How long have I been asleep?"

"It has been more than two days since the Lady Galadriel removed that blade tip from your wound, you slept five days before that."

 _Odin's beard!_ Kaylea thought to herself. _Seven days?_ She looked at Thorin, she could see the fatigue around his eyes, and the relief in his wide smile. She wanted to kiss him so badly. "Are you going to kiss me, or not?"

Thorin smiled wider and leaned forward to kiss her. He tasted so good, earthy and warm, the reason she had fought her way out of that dream. He pulled back to smile at her again, still holding her hand. "I thought I was going to lose you," he said.

"I heard your voice," Kaylea replied.

"Lady Galadriel said your mind had travelled far. I thought it would help if I talked to you," Thorin said shyly, he seemed a bit embarrassed.

"You were right. I followed it back to you, my king," Kaylea said. She willed her hand to move up to touch his face, her thumb running over his beard. Thorin put an arm around her, drawing her close to kiss her again. Longer this time, and more passionate. At length he drew back, knowing she must still be very tired.

"You must rest," he said. "You still have much healing to do."

Kaylea rolled her eyes at him. "I have already been out for seven days." She was fully in her body now, she could feel the tightness along her neck where the wound was still healing, her muscles stiff and sore. She started to push herself up, but Thorin stopped her.

"If you do not lay down and rest, I will tie you to this bed," Thorin said seriously.

Kaylea looked up at him with a sly smile. "Is that a promise? In that case I am certainly getting up."

Thorin laughed, he pushed himself up to kneel over her and leaned forward until his forehead met hers, he caught her arms and held them down beside her, then kept leaning in until he pushed her head back into the pillow. "You stay in bed, your king commands it." While Thorin was still very worried about her, his heart soared to hear her bantering with him so soon after waking up. It was like she was back to her old self, and he was already more aroused than he really wanted to be.

Kaylea met his gaze. "Is there anything else you command of me, your majesty?" She asked playfully. "Alright, I will be good and stay in bed. Is there anything to eat around here, I am starving."

Thorin straightened up. "You stay there, I will go find you something." He kept his eyes on her until he shut the door behind him.

As soon as Thorin had gone Kaylea got up, and almost fell. She managed to catch herself on a chair and willed herself upright, her legs barely responded to her. She did not know how long Thorin would be gone but she had seen her saddlebag on the floor and quickly retrieved it. Opening the concealed pocket she removed the slim flat case of her medkit. She selected three syringes: white cell activator, gene-targeted cell repair and boosterspice. She held all three to her arm and pushed the activators, they dispensed with a soft hiss. Kaylea grabbed her handheld before closing up her bag and returning to the bed before Thorin came back. Just that small effort had every muscle in her body screaming, but she should be fully healed in less than eight hours. Kaylea took a quick look at her at her device, days of reports to read, no urgent messages. Nothing from Aramsham yet, which meant she could extend her stay in Middle Earth. She was sitting up in bed when Thorin returned with a plate of fruits and cheese. Kaylea took the plate from him and placed it on her lap, then patted the bed next to her.

"Now, come sit next to me and tell me how you managed to talk your way into Lorien."

Thorin smiled back at her, he stretched out on the bed to tell the story, holding her hand and telling himself he was going to make sure he never came that close to losing her again.

Late that evening, some hours after Thorin had left her, one of the Elves that had been attending her pronounced Kaylea fully healed. The Elves had set up a pavillion for their guests, some distance from the foot of the great tree where Celeborn and Galadriel lived. Furnished almost like a house, with soft couches, table and chairs and a large bed. It was set across a wide green lawn where a fountain bubbled, flowing into a bright stream. The Elf led Kaylea there, though it was quite late she could see a light still burning in the pavillion. She did not mind the platforms in the trees but she knew Dwarves hated being parted from the earth and having to sleep in a tree would drive Thorin crazy. As Kaylea came through the door she saw Thorin seated at the table with a quill, writing a letter. He gave her a shocked look as she came in.

"What are you doing out of bed?" He asked, putting aside his quill to come and take her hands in his.

Kaylea shrugged. "I am healed, my king." She looked at the parchment on the table. "You are up late. What are you writing?"

"A letter to Fili, to let him know we are alright, and where we are," Thorin replied. "The Elves said they will take it to Asgaroth. This is the first chance I have had to write it."

Thorin moved the neck of Kaylea's tunic aside to expose the small scar that was all that was left of her wound. He shook his head. "I thought you said you had no medicines to treat that."

Kaylea chuckled. "There are no medicines that will remove a piece of a Morgul blade. The wound itself is easily healed once that is gone."

Thorin frowned at the memory. "That was a sight to see," he said.

Kaylea's eyebrows shot up. "You were present for that? The Lady Galadriel should have warned you to leave."

"She did. They would have had to put me in irons to make me leave your side," Thorin tightened his arms around her, kissing her neck.

Kaylea smiled back at him, enjoying the feel of his beard against her skin. "I have seen it done once and it is not a pleasant thing. I would have spared you that."

Kaylea felt completely recovered now, the boosterspice had done its work. She told Thorin in the morning she wanted to go for a ride to find Hector.

"The borders of Lorien is a full day's ride," Thorin said. "Are you sure you feel well enough, my love? And if we are to ride that far, why not just ride back to Erebor?"

"I cannot leave until I speak with Lord Celeborn and the Lady Galadriel, to thank them for their aid, and they will want to know what we found in Mordor."

"Can you request an audience?" Thorin asked. While Lorien was a pleasant place he would rather be back at home.

Kaylea shook her head. "I must wait to be summoned, and nothing happens fast with the Fair Folk. We may be here some weeks." Kaylea looked over at him with a knowing smile. "However, the Elves of Lorien are not overfond of horses. If we ride in and out a few times it may hasten a call from the Lord and Lady."

Thorin reached up to finger one of the beads on her braids. "I suppose there are worse places to be stuck waiting," he said. "Are you fully healed?."

Kaylea smiled at him. She traced the open neck of his shirt with her finger. "I hope that offer to tie me to the bed is still open."

"Definitely," Thorin replied, smiling crookedly at her. "But perhaps not tonight, my love."

For answer Kaylea pulled him closer and kissed him, she put her hands inside his vest, running them over his body.

It was late morning before Kaylea and Thorin walked out the gates of Caras Galadhon to retrieve their horses. There was a wide meadow surrounding the hill on which the city was built where their horses had been let to graze. Kaylea whistled for Hadrian and he came trotting up from around the other side of the hill with Thorin's little mare. Both were thin from their hard journey but well-rested and happy from grazing the rich grasses of Lothlorien. Soon they were on their way, following the well-worn path. One of the Elves at the city gate had offered to guide them, but Kaylea told him she knew the way well. It was a beautiful early summer day, warm breeze blowing through the tall trees, the smell of pollen and warm grass in the air. The last time travelling this path Thorin had seen nothing of it, he found himself quite enjoying the ride today, impressed by the size and beauty of the great mallorn trees.

The sun was low on the horizon when they reached the edge of the forest. They had not travelled far beside the Celebrant when Hector came loping up. Kaylea dismounted her horse to give the wolf a big hug as he happily licked her face. She hugged him for a long time, burying her face in his long fur. After some time Kaylea drew back and they looked at each other, Thorin could see the love in the wolf's eyes. He had thought at first it was a bit silly to ride all this distance to see him, but he understood now. He had grown to rather like the animal in their time alone together. Hector gave Thorin a meaningful look before trotting away into the dusk. Kaylea watched him for a long moment before turning to Thorin.

"Do you have anything you want to tell me?"

Thorin shook his head, he could not believe Hector had told her when it had been the wolf's idea. "I am sure I have no idea what you are talking about," he replied, trying to remember if Hector had been there when he had disassembled the weapon to better understand how it worked. He had done that twice.

"I knew I was taking a risk bringing it," Kaylea said, almost to herself. She looked over at Thorin. "Elrohir warned me to keep it away from Dwarves."

"He would," Thorin said, the disgust evident in his voice. "Elves want to keep everything for themselves. I understand a little of how it works, that does not mean I can build one." Thorin looked up to meet her gaze. "I understand now why you are reluctant to speak of your homeland, why you always put me off when I speak of visiting. A people who can make a weapon like that must live in a land of many greater marvels."

Kaylea started to speak, but Thorin held up a hand. "Let me finish. I almost lost you a few days ago. When I carried you up those stairs not knowing if the Lady Galadriel could help you, it almost destroyed me. I cannot lose you again. I care not where you really come from, if it is fear that the marvels of your land will somehow scare me, cast such thoughts aside. I want you at my side always, of course I would prefer that you come live with me in Erebor, but there must be some way we can be together. If I must spend part of my time in your land, so be it."

Kaylea sighed. "This exact thing has also been in my mind. I know I do not speak of it as eloquently as you, but believe me when I say I need you in my life as badly as you want me in yours. Leaving you the last time was one of the hardest things I have ever done. But it is not entirely up to me."

Thorin looked at her, his eyes narrowing. "This lord you serve." Kaylea nodded. "He has allowed Elrohir to journey to your land, but not a Dwarf?"

"I have not yet found an argument to convince him," Kaylea replied. She stepped closer to him, putting her hands on his shoulders. "Now, I need to speak to the King. You have seen for yourself what is coming. Will you abandon all that you have worked for, your subjects, your children to that evil? Sauron is not ready yet, but when this war begins all Middle Earth will be needed to fight him. I have seen you among your people, any one of them would fight to their last breath for you, would they fight the same for your nephew?"

Thorin sighed. "The responsibilities of kings."

"The responsibilities of kings," Kaylea nodded. "When this war is over and Sauron is defeated, my lord will owe me many favors. Then I may be able to build a future with you, though what form it may take I cannot say."

"It is cold comfort to be told I can be with you, but only many years from now."

Kaylea smiled at him. "It may be fifty years, it may be less. But it is fifty years to make your kingdom stronger, to watch your people grow more prosperous and more numerous, to see your son grow old enough to rule in your stead, to settle things with your wife." Kaylea sighed. "It cannot have escaped your notice that the medicines I used to heal you have made you a young man again."

"And taller," Thorin added.

"Neither of which are supposed to happen, but I had never used it on a Dwarf before. I believe you could live for 300 more years, maybe even longer. Though it may be some years before we can be together, we will still have a lifetime ahead of us. And I will be back several times before this war happens, when the final battle approaches, I will return with troops to help defeat the Enemy."

Thorin drew her to him. "So, I have fifty years to convince you to marry me."

Kaylea chuckled. "I am not the marrying kind, as I have told you."

"You just said we have a future together. That is as close as I have yet heard you come to a yes." Thorin reached up and pulled her mouth down to his.


	7. A Long Goodbye

7\. A LONG GOODBYE

Thorin and Kaylea spent several idyllic weeks in Lothlorien. It was hard to say exactly how long they stayed, since time passed so differently in that fair land. It was summer now and the days were pleasant and warm. They took many walks in the woods, rode the horses past the borders where Hector would join them in the foothills of the mountains. Some days they just stayed near their pavillion, eating too much or sparring with their weapons on the lawn. This always seemed to bring a few Elves out to watch. Kaylea would usually invite them to join, and Thorin very much enjoyed using some of the moves Kaylea had taught him, it was rare he did not win a match. There were many of the Fair Folk who lived in Caras Galadhon, the place had a sort of hum about it, the sound of many soft voices and singing was often heard in the evening, but they rarely seemed to come to the ground. Occasionally when they were walking an Elf would hail Kaylea and they would exchange pleasantries, they were always polite to Thorin though they seemed to think of him as a kind of novelty.

Thorin received a letter from Fili with the news that he had a new son. He felt his heart leap with joy, impatient to see the boy, though his wife would not be back in Erebor for many months yet. He looked over at Kaylea, mending the bridle of her horse at the other end of the table, he found himself idly wishing it was her son. But he also had a hard time picturing her as a mother, there was so much steel in her. His son was one of the chief joys in his life, the one thing he did not regret about his marriage.

Kaylea felt his eyes on her. "What news from Erebor, my king?"

"I have another son," Thorin said. Kaylea looked up at him.

"Congratulations! That is very good news," she said. Thorin looked at her, his eyes narrowing.

"If I may ask, did you lose your ability to bear children through some injury?"

Kaylea shook her head. "No, I was designed that way…" she paused, shaking her head "I mean I was born that way." She put down her task and looked at him. "And you can ask me anything, you know that."

Thorin grinned. "You just refuse to answer most of the time," he said. "Alright, how old are you?"

Kaylea met his gaze. "I am almost 3000 years old, my king."

Thorin's eyebrows shot up. "Are all your people so long-lived?"

"No, most Dorsai live about twice the span of years as Dwarves. There are a very few of us who are much longer lived. Undying, like the Fair Folk." Kaylea got up and came to sit next to him. "I hope it does not change your opinion of me to find out I am as old as an Elf."

Thorin smiled, squeezing her hand. "No, I expected you were very much older than you look." He reached over to brush her hair back from her face. "And in all that time, you have never been married?"

"I have not, though I have been in love three other times," Kaylea took a long breath, remembering. "Twice to ordinary men who are gone now, once to one of the specials like me. But I have never loved anyone the way I love you, my king. You quite swept me off my feet the first time I set eyes on you. That has never happened to me before." She ran her fingers down one of his braids. "And what about you? How many times have you been in love?"

Thorin chuckled. "When I was younger, I fell in love a few times," he said. "Though I never wanted to marry anyone until I met you." Thorin smiled slyly at her. "If you have not been married, how can you say you will never be? How do you know until you have tried it? You did say I could ask you anything."

Kaylea laughed. "You are incorrigible!"

"Thank you, my love," Thorin replied.

Two mornings later Thorin awoke in the grey before dawn to find himself alone in bed. He looked around and saw Kaylea, dressed in her underclothes sitting in one of the soft chairs. She had a grave, thoughtful look on her face, her mind was far away. Thorin felt his heart sink "You are leaving."

Kaylea looked over at him and nodded. "War has broken out on the southern borders of my country. It was not unexpected, perhaps I should have stayed but I had a chance to come here and see you, I could not pass that up."

Thorin had pulled on his undergarments and came to kneel beside her. He saw her slip a flat piece of metal into her saddlebag. He took her hands in his. "I am so glad you came," he said. "I wish your journey had not been marred by that wound."

Kaylea shook her head. "There are a hundred ways to die every day, to die in battle in defense of something you believe in is a good death." She looked at Thorin. "I am happy I got to spend so much time with the man I love." She reached over to touch his face, Thorin put a hand over hers.

"When must you leave?"

Kaylea considered for a moment. "By noon tomorrow. I must send word to Celeborn and Galadriel and let them know, I have not yet spoken with them."

"Can I ride to the coast with you?" Thorin asked, he knew what she would say but he had to ask.

"You should ride to Erebor to see your son," Kaylea said gravely. "Not prolong the inevitable."

"It is true my heart does very much desire to see him, even as it is breaking to part from you," Thorin said heavily. "You must promise to return to me, my love."

"I will return," Kaylea said gravely, meeting his eyes. "You have my word."

Kaylea and Thorin spent the day making sure everything was ready to leave. Bags were packed, the horses groomed and tack repaired. Kaylea had sent word to the Lord and Lady but had heard nothing from them. That evening, after dinner they were sitting in their pavilion enjoying some of Kaylea's Dorsai liquor when Thorin looked up and saw the Lady Galadriel approaching. It was almost full dark but she seemed to glow with soft silver light, her white dress shining in the moonlight. As she came closer Kaylea stepped outside and bent her knee, bowing her head. Thorin stood beside her and bowed low. The Lady looked from one to the other of them with a smile, then without speaking she beckoned them to follow her. They followed her to the slopes of Caras Galadhrim and down a long flight of stairs to a small enclosed garden. Here she stopped and bade Kaylea tell her all she had discovered in Mordor. As Kaylea told the tale she stopped her often to ask questions. They spoke also of the palantir, Kaylea said she would take it with her as such a thing should not remain in Lothlorien. As they were talking Thorin looked around the grassy green hollow. It was treeless and open to the starry sky, the little stream from the fountain in front of their pavilion ran through the lawn, in the center was a pedestal carved like a tree and topped with a wide, shallow silver basin. Thorin looked at the two women and suddenly realized that Kaylea looked very similar to the Lady of Lorien. The shape of her face, her mouth, the color of her hair. They were such different personalities Thorin had not noticed it until he saw them together. He smiled to himself, yet another mystery about Kaylea Wolf for him to ponder. After Lady Galadriel was satisfied she had heard all Kaylea had to tell she shook her head sadly.

"These are grave tidings, but it is as we expected. This matter of the palantirs does concern me greatly, but it is good to know for certain we have many years yet to prepare," she said. Then she turned to Thorin. "Thorin, son of Thrain, you came here with such a heavy heart, and burdened with so many questions. Before you leave this land I may be able to ease your mind a little." She stood beside the silver basin and, dipping a silver ewer into the stream, filled it with water. Then she breathed upon the water and when it was still, she turned back to the king. "This is the Mirror of Galadriel. Will you look upon it?"

"What will I see, my lady?" Thorin asked. He looked around for Kaylea but she was just passing through the hedge, leaving him alone with the Elf Lord.

"The Mirror reveals many things. Things from the past, from the present and things that may happen in the future," Galadriel smiled at him. "I can command it to reveal the answer to a question you want answered, or if you leave it free to work you may see other more profitable things."

"I will look," Thorin said. "There is one question in my mind I very much want answered, but I will let your Mirror choose."

He approached the water, first all he saw was reflected stars then the water seemed to cloud and change. He saw a great battle, orcs and Men and Dwarves. He realized it was the Battle of the Five Armies, he saw the great white orc that had wounded him taken down by Beorn. The scene shifted and he saw a baby, smiling and happy, his new son! He saw his wife carrying him in her arms, walking down a corridor in Erebor, talking softly to him. When the scene shifted again he saw a huge city of white stone climbing up the side of a mountain, a great battle had been fought before it, the field strewn with corpses. The view moved to the side and Thorin saw a group of hard looking fighters dressed in the same black clothes as Kaylea always wore riding past him away from the city on black horses. The Mirror became cloudy for a moment then Thorin felt himself standing in the Woodland Realm, he turned to see King Thranduil, the Elven King was angry, he was speaking but Thorin could not hear the words. He saw the king gesture towards him and he suddenly felt like he was falling, the Mirror turned to stars again. Then there was a quick succession of images: a group of robed figures with long weapons on their backs walking in an endless red desert, a table surrounded by dark haired Men, holding glasses up as in a toast, a great city made of crystal, a large cat with oddly-shaped ears looking curiously at him, a white wolf running into battle beside him against a horde of orcs. Then Thorin felt himself standing on a grassy meadow, a mountain behind him falling steeply to the sea. The scene seemed familiar but he knew he had never been there. The sun was shining, he was formally dressed and felt his heart overflowing with happiness. He felt someone behind him, knew it was Kaylea. He almost felt her slip her arms around him, he put his hands on hers and turned his head to feel her kiss on his cheek, see her smile. She was wearing an ice-blue dress, her hair elaborately braided. In the vision he looked down at her hands in his, then he saw it. Kaylea was wearing the ring he had given her, but on her left hand and with it the matching wedding band he had made. And on his hand the ring he had made for himself to match it. He gasped involuntarily.

"Do not disturb the water!" He heard Galadriel warn, but his sharp exhale had caused a ripple and the mirror showed only stars again. He turned quickly to look at her.

"Does this Mirror show the truth?"

Galadriel nodded. "The future is never quite set, but many things the Mirror shows do come to pass." She smiled at him. "It was that particularly I wished to show you, as I know it weighs on your heart. I also want to tell you, I cannot see the end of your life. It is strange, it seems to me at one time there was an end, and now there is not. You will live longer than even Durin the Deathless, and I believe you have many interesting adventures in store for you, though what form they will take a cannot say. I wish you good luck and good fortune, King Under the Mountain."

Thorin bowed low to the Lady Galadriel. "Thank you, Lady Galadriel, for allowing me this look in your Mirror, your kind words and all that you have done. If this is to be my future, I know it would not be possible without the aid you gave to Kaylea Wolf when we came here. May there be goodwill between our peoples in the future!"

The Lady inclined her head in agreement, but did not speak. Thorin could see the audience was at an end and took his leave, his heart as light as a feather as he climbed the stairs. He remembered suddenly where he had seen that meadow with the mountain behind it, the portrait Kaylea had given him. She had been standing in the same spot. He wondered at the other things he had seen, and what they could mean. The sight of Thranduil irritated him, why would he be talking to him? He found Kaylea waiting for him, standing outside the pavilion. He rushed to her, eager to tell her what he had seen, but she put a finger on his lips to silence him.

"What you saw was for you alone. Do not speak of it."

Thorin was astonished. "Surely I can tell you!"

Kaylea shook her head. "If you tell me something you saw in a possible future you risk a change in that future." She smiled at his disappointment. "That was the parting gift of the Lady Galadriel to you, it is not a thing she often allows. I can see it was good news, that is enough for me."

The next morning Kaylea and Thorin rode out of Caras Galadhon. They would have two more nights together on the road and part ways at the southern end of Mirkwood, Kaylea heading south and Thorin north to Erebor. It was a beautiful summer day, warm with a slight breeze blowing from the south. It was cool and pleasant under the tall trees, the horses ready to travel again, sleek and rested after the trials of their previous journey. They camped along the Anduin the first night, outside the borders of Lorien. Hector joined them and caught several fat trout for dinner, pulling them out of the river and flipping them up on the bank for Kaylea to clean. After dinner Kaylea sat leaning against Thorin watching the fire burn down. They had not talked much during the evening, just enjoyed being in each other's company. Kaylea relaxed into Thorin's strong arms, laying her head back on his chest wishing she could stretch this moment out forever. She still wondered what it was about this man that just felt so right, it was like nothing she had ever experienced before. As the stars started to come out she looked for Dorsai, as she always did. In Middle Earth it was in the north sky, in the constellation the Elves named after Luthien Tinuviel.

"Do Dwarves have names for the constellations in the sky?" She asked.

"Of course," Thorin replied. They spent the evening comparing Dwarvish and Elvish names for the stars until it was quite late, they did not get to sleep until it was well past midnight.

The second night from Lorien they camped under the trees at the south end of Mirkwood. The skies were threatening rain and this part of the forest was much less threatening than the dark center. It did rain lightly for a few hours, causing Thorin and Kaylea to get off to a late start the next day, which neither minded. As they were drying the bedroll in the morning enjoying the pink sunrise and some Dorsai coffee, Kaylea and Thorin sat side by side, leaning on each other.

"Ah, I almost forgot!" Kaylea exclaimed. She reached into her coat and drew out a small fabric pouch and handed it to Thorin. "A gift for your sons, I found them when we were packing the other night." Thorin shook the pouch out in his hand, two small silver pendants. A stylized hammer and a spear. "These are an old Dorsai tradition, they are the talismans of our old gods. The spear is for the chief of our gods, god of wisdom and war. The hammer is his son, god of strength and thunder, strongest and greatest fighter among the gods. They are given to newborns to protect them and to ensure they grow to be great warriors. I am glad I brought two." What she did not say is the pendants contained slow-release concentrations of antivirals and antibiotics, Thorin's children would be well protected from illness for their first ten years.

Thorin nodded gratefully, turning the pendants over in his hand wondering at the silver. "Thank you. I still wish they were our children, but that was not to be."

Thorin and Kaylea came to the road where they would part ways at mid-morning. They stopped in the shade of some tall trees beside the road to say their goodbyes, kissing each other for a long time. Every time one of them would pull back, the other would pull them close again, not wanting the moment to end. At length they stood, foreheads pressed together.

"You take care, my love," Thorin said. "Do not get yourself killed in this war."

"I will come back to you, my king," Kaylea said. They kissed each other again, knowing it would be the last time for many years. Thorin felt such emptiness in his heart, but this time there was also hope. Kaylea had left and returned once, now he knew for certain she would return to him again. And there was the future Galadriel had shown him, his heart raced whenever he thought of it. They parted and mounted their horses, heading in opposite directions. Hector gave Thorin a long stare and he felt a sudden feeling of gratitude; the wolf must be thanking him for helping Kaylea. Thorin nodded to him, thinking he was actually going to miss the big animal. Then he turned his horse north, urging her into a canter. He had travelled some distance when he felt he just had to look back and reined his horse in. As he brought his horse's head around he saw Kaylea also stopped on the road. They looked at each other for a long moment before turning their horses to follow their separate paths.


	8. Market Day

PART II

8\. MARKET DAY

It was market day in Dale. The day the first caravans arrived from the south and the traders from the coast came to bargain for Dwarvish steel. There were fewer traders these days, and more guards, but it was still the first festival of summer, merchants setting their wares out in the streets and performers plying their trade. Thorin Oakenshield was walking among the caravans with his daughter. It was a family tradition, he had been bringing his children to market day since they were little. The boys were too old to be interested now, but his daughter still loved to come and see all the exotic animals and watch the street performers.

Thorin always wore his old traveling clothes on this day and kept his hood up, he was recognized by the residents of Dale and some of the merchants he had been dealing with for years, but they would let him pass without ceremony. Today he was one of the people. He always traveled with several guards now, and today they were also dressed as common folk. Traders that did not know him often took Freya to be his wife, which always made her smile and laugh.

They were looking at some silks at one of the caravan stalls, so little of it made it this far north anymore. Freya was trying to convince him to buy some for her while Thorin shared a cup of coffee with the merchant. The man had been coming to Dale for many years, he often teased Thorin that the Silver Fountain must be a fountain of youth, the rest of the world aged while Thorin continued to look the same. Thorin shared a laugh with the man and as he was handing the cup back he saw the merchant stare at something behind him with a look of pure astonishment. Thorin put a hand on his sword and turned, already thinking about his surroundings, how best to protect Freya.

Coming up the crowded street was Kaylea Wolf, leading her horse, a huge grey wolf at her side. The people fell back as she passed, staring. Kaylea was known to some of the older residents of Dale, but mostly by reputation. It was one thing to hear the stories about her, quite another to see her walking down the street, tall and fair as an Elven Lord, clothed all in black, sword and bow across her back, her hair braided in Dwarvish style. She was smiling but obviously trying not to smile too broadly. She stopped in front of Thorin and kneeled down on one knee, bowing her head.

"My king," she said. Thorin pushed his hood back, his smile wide. He offered her his hands and when she set hers in his, drew her to her feet and into his arms. Thorin always remembered how good it felt to kiss Kaylea, but memory was a pale thing compared to having her in his arms. The taste of her, the feel of her lean body, the smell of her hair. Thorin lifted her off her feet as he kissed her, not trying to contain his joy at seeing her.

"My love," Thorin said at length. Kaylea was giving him a startled look, obviously she had been coming to Erebor for many years now and their relationship was hardly a secret. But Thorin had never kissed her in the middle of a public street before. Something had changed. He was smiling at her, his amazing blue eyes twinkling, she could not resist pulling him close and kissing him again.

This time when they parted there was polite applause from the people standing around. Thorin waved at them to indicate the show was over.

Kaylea looked around then back at Thorin questioningly. He was smiling at her, still holding her close. The onlookers had gone back to inspecting the wares and haggling over the prices.

"My king, what are you doing?"

Thorin sighed, his face suddenly serious. "Things have changed since you were last here, my love," he said. "My wife died a year after you left the last time. It was an accident, nothing anyone could have done."

Kaylea was shocked. "I am so sorry, my king. The mother of your children, that must have been a hard blow."

Thorin shook his head. "It is an old grief now, I have done my mourning for her years ago." He met Kaylea's eyes. "And you know what this means."

Kaylea sighed, she shook her head. "Thorin…" she began, then she heard a giggle and looked over to see Ajax licking Thorin's daughter in the face.

"Do not let him do that!" Thorin said sharply, Freya looked at him sheepishly. Kaylea put a hand out and the wolf came to stand next to her. She bowed low to Thorin's daughter. "Your highness," she said. Freya nodded back to her, smiling but also a bit nervous. Kaylea was so tall and beautiful and strong, she always felt like she was the one who should be bowing. She looked over at the wolf's yellow eyes, she thought for sure he winked at her.

"Come, let us go home," Thorin said. He looked around to make sure all the guards were with him and took Freya's hand.

"Father, can we not stay a little longer? I want to see the play," she pleaded. "And you still have not bought me those silks."

Kaylea laid a hand on Thorin's shoulder, she inclined her head to speak into his ear. "Do not let me interrupt you plans, my king. I have to meet a couple of people yet. I was planning to come to Erebor this evening, I just happened to see you in the street."

Thorin turned to her with a wry smile. "You are here and were going to wait until the evening to see me, that is a fine welcome!" He was teasing, of course. He slid a hand inside her coat and pulled her close to kiss her again. After a long moment Kaylea took her leave, promising to ride back to Erebor with them.

Freya watched the tall woman walk back down the street. She loved it when Kaylea came to Erebor. It had always caused a bit of tension between her mother and father, but she had also seen her mother with her lover when they visited the Ered Mithrin. She was fascinated by the warrior and her wolves. And Thorin was such a different person when she was with him, smiling and content instead of brooding and glowering at everyone. When she was a little girl Kaylea had given her a knife with a handle made from the tooth of a dragon, it was still one of her most treasured possessions and she carried it with her always.

Thorin was also watching Kaylea walk away, his face thoughtful. Now that he was a free man again, he hoped this was going to be the last time he had to watch her leave. He turned to smile at Freya. "Now, where were we, my girl?"

More than seventy years had passed since Thorin first laid eyes on Kaylea. His life had changed in ways he could hardly have envisioned when he was just a prince from the Blue Mountains. The Lonely Mountain prospered, though the loss of Balin and those that had gone with him still pained him. Erebor was now the greatest of the Dwarf kingdoms in Middle Earth, a center of industry and trade as it had been in the days of Thror. He had three children who were the joy of his life, wealth uncounted and, after ageing backwards for a time it seemed, he had not aged at all since the Battle of the Five Armies. The heads of the other kingdoms were already calling him Thorin the Deathless.

Kaylea Wolf had come back to Erebor a half dozen times over the years, the last time he had seen her was eight years ago. Although years passed between her visits, she and Thorin shared such a deep, intimate connection that they always just picked up where they had left off, as though only a day or two had passed. That same connection made them miss each other terribly, but over time it became manageable until they saw each other again. The war Kaylea had long spoken of was fast approaching now. On a clear day the black clouds that covered Mordor could be seen in the south. Few traveled the Brown Lands now, even the caravans stayed north of the River Running. The roads to the south were dangerous until closer to Gondor where the might of that great city kept the servants of the enemy at bay. The people of Erebor had labored long to make the city safe, and Thorin was confident now they could close the gates and live comfortably for many years, just as his people had lived out the Dark Times in the great city of Moria. Though he was always happy to see Kaylea for other reasons, he was curious what news she would bring this time.

Thorin and Freya were almost halfway back to Erebor when Kaylea caught up to them on her big horse. The sun was already down and the vale between the feet of the mountain was bathed in evening light. Kaylea pulled her horse up to speak with the guards for a few moments before trotting up to ride beside the carriage. Thorin looked over at her with a smile.

"Was your day successful, my love?" He asked. Kaylea nodded.

"And yours?"

Thorin looked ahead thoughtfully. "There are fewers traders every year and they bring less with them," he said. "Some I talked to today said they are not sure when they can make the trip again."

Kaylea took a deep breath. "Some of the roads are unsafe now, it matters not how many guards they bring." She and Thorin looked at each other. They did not speak again until the gates of Erebor. Thorin gave Freya a hand down from the carriage and watched her walk across the hall. He turned to Kaylea.

"I have moved your things to my quarters," he said.

Kaylea's eyebrows shot up. "Is that wise?"

"I do not care. I am done with the pretense, there is no need for it anymore," he moved closer to put an arm around her waist. "I hope you were planning to change for dinner."

Kaylea smiled. "Is it a formal occasion?"

Thorin shook his head. "Just the family. I feel like celebrating a little."

"I brought a couple of new tunics with me, just for you," Kaylea knew the King was not fond of her black uniforms. Over the years she had brought a variety of clothes and left them in her wardrobe in Erebor, it was easier than carrying them back and forth. She did take the jewelry Thorin had given her, knowing he would be offended if she left it, but she never wore it anywhere but Erebor. Except for the ring he had given her the first time, that she wore on a chain around her neck.

Kaylea made sure her horse was settled before heading up to Thorin's apartments. His rooms were so much grander than the quarters where she usually stayed. A series of rooms, high, carved ceilings, beautiful tapestries, wide fireplaces and Southron rugs on the floors. His walk-in closet always amused Kaylea, he had more clothes than any other man she knew. Thorin was not there yet, she found her clothes in the corner of his closet and hung up one of the new tunics then walked across the bedroom to the bathroom. Ajax was curled up in the middle of the bed. Kaylea smiled at him. "Better not let Thorin find you there," she said. The wolf blinked at her, feigning innocence.

In fact the huge four-poster bed was big enough for her and Thorin and Ajax with room to spare. She had teased Thorin about it, how big a bed did he need? Did the King Under the Mountain keep a harem of Dwarf women that he needed a bed big enough for seven of them? Thorin's response had been it was in case the king fell in love with a tall warrior woman. Kaylea washed up and had just put on her tunic when she heard Thorin come in. She was fixing her hair in the mirror as she watched him come up behind her. He slid his arms around her waist, kissing her neck.

"I have missed you so, my love," he said. Kaylea turned in his arms to kiss him, it was a long moment before Thorin spoke again. "We do not have long to dinner, unfortunately."

Kaylea smiled at him, reaching for his belt. "Dinner will wait for the King."

Almost an hour later they came down the stairs together. Kaylea wore a soft dark blue tunic with silver designs sewn into the neck and hem. Thorin was wearing black tonight, a soft shirt, embroidered vest and suede breeches. As they walked into the Reception Hall Kaylea's eyes swept the room. She saw Dis and Fili and Gloin: also there were all three of Thorin's children: Thror, the oldest, Durin and Freya. Thror came over to greet Kaylea, bowed low and inclined her head. "It is good to see you again, my lady," he said. "You always seem to brighten these halls."

"Thank you, your highness," Kaylea replied. "It is good to be back. What happened to your arm?" She indicated the bandage he was wearing on his wrist.

Thror looked embarrassed. "Oh, nothing. Just a cut from sparring."

"You will have to show me how that happened, perhaps I can show you a block that could have prevented it," Kaylea said.

Thror's face lit up, then he looked nervously at his father. "I would like that," he said, his face starting to turn red.

Kaylea turned then to Durin and bowed to him. "Good evening, your highness." He was looking pointedly at the white scar near her collarbone the Ringwraith had given her all those years ago, visible because of her tunics wide heart-shaped neckline.

"Is it true you almost died from that little thing?" He asked, voice dripping acid. "Seems hard to believe."

Thorin was scowling at him. "I believe I taught you to be more polite," he said. Durin looked sideways at him.

"I can be polite when there is a reason, father," he said.

Thorin looked like he might actually hit him, but Kaylea put a hand on his arm. "It is a soldier's greatest honor to lay down her life in defense of her King, I would do the same for you without hesitation. Perhaps one day you will understand this."

Durin turned away without a word, Thorin glowering after him.

"You must excuse my children," Thorin said through his teeth.

Kaylea just smiled. "They are entitled to their own opinions. You cannot have expected them all to take your side."

Thorin sighed. "I suppose not," he said. "But am I supposed to be in mourning the rest of my life?"

"Durin reminds me the most of you," Kaylea replied. "Would you have ever forgiven what you saw as an insult to your mother?"

Thorin chuckled ruefully. "No, I would not."

Kaylea thought it was no surprise Thorin and Durin did not get along, they were exactly alike. Durin was the spitting image of his father and seemed to have inherited his father's temperament as well. Thror had his mother's eyes, and there was a sort of refinement about him his father lacked. And Freya, she probably broke nine hearts on her way down to breakfast in the morning.

Dis came up with Freya, giving Durin a dark glance. "Do not listen to him, we are always glad to see you," she said. Kaylea bowed low to her as well, always careful to show proper respect to all of Thorin's family.

Dis was looking from her to Thorin and back. "So, you two will be getting married now, I expect. When is the day? I will need to start planning." Freya stared, _Was this true?_

"Tomorrow works for me," Thorin replied seriously, looking at Kaylea.

Kaylea was shaking her head. "This is not a good time to be planning a wedding," she said to Dis. "We have not yet spoken about it."

Thorin scoffed. "If we talk about it any more I will pull my hair out." Kaylea glared at him.

Dis laughed. "Well, let us all hope it does not come to that! As soon as you two come to an agreement, let me know."


	9. The Warrior Revealed

9\. THE WARRIOR REVEALED

Thorin took a deep breath and kissed Kaylea's neck, waiting for his mind to catch up with his body. He felt as if every inch of his body was vibrantly alive, like sparks were dancing over his skin, the sensation intense and sustained. After a moment he moved to lay beside her, she too was breathing deeply, her whole body flushed. They lay together for a time, feeling the sweat start to dry on their bodies. Thorin took Kaylea's hand in his and brought it to his lips.

"I have missed you so much," she said. She shifted to settle herself in his soft bed, the light from the fire bathing her naked body in red light.

"Then why leave again, my love?" Thorin asked quietly.

Kaylea shook her head, she pushed herself up to sit back against the pillows. "We have talked about this."

"And we have not yet reached an agreement," Thorin scowled at her. "I have done all you asked of me. My line is secure, my kingdom prospers, the alliances of Erebor are strong." He moved to kneel on the bed beside her, taking her hands in his. "Every time you ride away I convince myself that you are right, that we should wait, but as soon as I have you in my arms again I know I will never be complete until you are with me always. Will you marry me?"

Kaylea met his gaze, her face pleading. "Thorin, do not tempt me! You know I cannot."

Thorin's face went dark. There was an edge to his voice as he spoke. "If it is true you love me as much as you say, then you must tell me once and for all why we cannot be together. I am tired of all the secrecy, I am tired of waiting. I will have an answer. You owe me that."

Kaylea looked at him for a long moment. Thorin could see she was weighing something in her mind. At length she spoke. "Very well. You are right, I have put it off too long. But it is easier if I show you. We will need to go for a ride."

Thorin frowned at her. "You cannot just tell me?"

She shook her head. "It would be just words. If I show you, it will make better sense."

Thorin bent over to kiss her gently. "How long then must I wait for my answer, my love?"

"A half day's ride. We must go to the north, toward the Misty Mountains." Kaylea ran her hands up over his chest. "We can leave now, if you wish."

Thorin grinned. "The morning is soon enough."

It was mid-morning the next day before Thorin and Kaylea set out from Erebor. Thorin felt such a rush of nostalgia when she mounted her horse and reached down to pull him up behind her. This was how he remembered falling in love with her all those years ago, that wild night chasing orcs through the forest, his arms around her waist, that smell of sage and pines in her hair. He remembered how badly he had wanted to kiss her on the neck then, now he could do it. Kaylea felt his lips on her neck and turned her head to look at him.

"Feel like old times?"

Thorin chuckled. "Better than old times," he said. "I do not have to worry where I am putting my hands." He reached around to put his hands inside her coat. Kaylea put a hand on his and clicked her tongue to her horse.

"If you bite me, I bite you back," she said. Thorin chuckled.

"I hope that is a promise."

Her horse trotted out the gate and across the bridge, Ajax loping ahead. As Kaylea had said they continued north around the feet of the Lonely Mountain then turned west to the foothills of the mountains. Once they were on the open road Kaylea gave her horse his head and he ran like the wind. It still astonished Thorin how fast these black horses were, this one seemed the fastest of any Kaylea had brought. Watching her grey wolf run ahead of the horse made Thorin think of Hector, and all the time they had spent together so many years ago. He still missed that black wolf, though Ajax was much friendlier.

With the dire wolf setting the pace they were in the foothills of the mountains in hours, by then her horse had slowed to a reaching trot. They headed up a slope and when they reached the top Thorin saw a wide, flat basin surrounded by hills. The air was quite still at the bottom, there was no sound of birds or wind between the rocks. All was empty and silent, just grass and what looked like one of Kaylea's black horses grazing across the meadow.

Kaylea let Thorin down and got off her horse. She unbridled her horse and turned him loose to graze. Ajax came up and leaned against Thorin, who scratched the back of his head with a bit of apprehension. Kaylea turned to him, her face deadly serious. "My king, once you have seen this there is no going back," she said gravely. "If you wish to accept the explanation, I have given you we can continue on as we have before, with the possibility we can be together in the future. After I show you this everything will be changed."

Thorin looked at her thoughtfully for a long moment, wondering at her words. _What can she show me in an empty valley?_ He drew himself up, folding his arms across his chest. "I want my explanation."

Kaylea turned toward the open expanse, she reached up and touched the side of her neck. "Turn the cloak off," she said.

"General, what are you doing?" Came the answer from out of thin air, Thorin jumped. Whatever it was it spoke Khuzdul. And did it just call her General?

"Making a point," Kaylea responded. "Turn it off."

Suddenly a giant winged vessel appeared in front of them. Thorin started and gasped in surprise, _Where had that come from?_ One moment there had been nothing, now there was this emormous thing. It was larger than the freighting ships that sailed the seas but looked more like a giant bird, made entirely of metal. It had wings that almost touched the edges of the valley, sitting on two giant supports. Almost immediately his Dwarvish curiosity took over and he started looking at the joints in the metal, the elegant shape of it, wondering how it was built. As he was studying it a wide platform descended from the belly of the thing, becoming a ramp leading inside. Kaylea walked forward and put a foot on the ramp, she turned to look at Thorin.

"You once told me the marvels of my country would not frighten you," she said flatly. "Are you coming?"

Thorin took a deep breath and followed her, now her warning was making sense. It was all very strange but he trusted her, Kaylea would not be leading him to his doom. They walked up into a wide space, divided into compartments. There were a variety of things stored here, odd-looking wheeled wagons, metal cases stacked high, one compartment looked like a kind of workshop and there was one was filled with those strange metal weapons, lined up on racks. Thorin paused, then stepped in run his hand over them. There were many different types, a few like the one Kaylea always had with her, and there were others that were smaller, that could fit in the hand.

"No," Kaylea said. Thorin looked at her with a sideways grin.

"You seem to have quite a few. How could you miss just one?"

"No," she said again. At the far end of the space was another ramp, steeper that curled to the right. They followed it up to a corridor with doors opening off it. On one side the hallway opened up into a wide space, Thorin could see counters and storage, table and benches, some kind of soft couches on one side. At the end of the hallway was another, smaller room with a wide window that wrapped over it. There was a curving slanted table made of what looked like dark glass, many lights somehow blinking under the glass. There were two comfortable looking chairs against this table and a number of different ones along the wall behind, all but two folded up. One of the chairs was occupied by a very large cat with bright orange fur, dressed like a Man in a sleeveless vest-type garment, soft breeches and high black boots. He was reading a book, the end of his short-haired tail twitching at his feet. He looked at Thorin with mild surprise as he walked in.

"Good afternoon, your majesty," he said in a deep raspy voice. It was not the voice Thorin had heard outside, but the creature also spoke Khuzdul..

"Have we met?" Thorin asked, looking at the creature nervously.

"In a way."

"Thorin, this is Pilot Ahk-Set. He is a Kzin and a telepath. That means he can read your mind, among other things," Kaylea said. She moved towards the slanted table, as she put her fingers on it, different lights appeared. Thorin looked back at Pilot.

"Does that mean you know what I am thinking?" He asked. The Kzin nodded.

"Kind of like breathing for me, your majesty."

Thorin frowned, he realized why the Kzin looked familiar. This was the cat he had seen in Galadriel's Mirror, he recognized the odd-looking ears. Webbed, like the wings of a bat and they moved up and down as he spoke. Although many events of the last fifty years faded in his memory, everything Thorin had seen in Galadriel's Mirror he remembered with absolute clarity.

The light changed and Thorin looked back towards Kaylea. The view out the window had disappeared, replaced by the night sky. As Thorin watched, different colored lines snaked across the sky, he noticed there was a blinking yellow light on the left side.

Kaylea turned to face him. "This is a map of the galaxy," she began. "Every star you see in the night sky is a sun like the one above us now. Around every star are worlds like Middle Earth, some are hotter or colder, some are inhabited by strange creatures," she gestured toward Pilot. "A great many are inhabited by different races of Men." She turned back toward the window, pointing to the blinking light. "That is Middle Earth, this is Dorsai." She touched the counter and another blinking light appeared high on the right side.

Thorin sat down almost involuntarily in one of the chairs along the wall, stunned. "You come from _the stars_?" He asked incredulously.

Kaylea nodded. "Yes."

Thorin looked at the map again, the blinking lights. He was starting to feel panic rising in his chest. Then suddenly, he felt calmer. As he looked at the map, names came to him for the different colored lines on the map: Second Empire, Kzin, Vorlon, Dubari, Hive. The names of some of the major races of the galaxy, these were the borders of their empires. When he looked around the room: console, viewscreen, spaceship, bridge, computer. It was the oddest feeling to look at things he had never seen and know what they were called and what they did. He gave the Kzin a sideways glance.

The cat shrugged. "It was not very nice of her to hit you with it like that," he looked at Kaylea who was frowning at him. "I can stop, if you prefer."

Thorin really did not like the idea of someone else being in his head, and his sense of panic had passed. "I am fine now," he said, though he was tempted to ask the Kzin to continue. He looked back at Kaylea. "Go on, my love."

Kaylea's fingers danced over the console. "This large area outlined in white is the Empire, of which Dorsai is a part. More than a thousand planets now. I can travel in this ship to any of them." She brought up a picture of a large globe, green and blue and white. A second blue globe was surrounding it. "Middle Earth is different. It is surrounded by an impenetrable shield wall. The only one of its kind, it keeps the planet hidden and no one can get through it without permission. This is how my lord Blackwolf protects your planet. Without it this place would be very different, believe me." She turned to Thorin. "Blackwolf guards all the entrances, he holds all the keys. When he wants me to do something for him on Middle Earth, he gives me permission to get through the shield, but only for whatever length of time he thinks the mission will take."

Thorin frowned. "You said he does this to protect Middle Earth?"

Kaylea nodded. "This was his home, he will not let it be destroyed by others. You have no idea how extraordinary your planet is. I do not agree with my lord on many things, but the protection of Middle Earth is one of them."

"But why does he need to protect it from you? Are you not a loyal retainer? I do not understand why you cannot travel here freely."

Kaylea sighed. "That is part of a much longer conversation about Blackwolf. He knows I love this place so he makes sure I can only come here at his will. It is a way he can have power over me. Several times in the past I have been able to travel here on my own time by calling in favors Blackwolf owes me. After this war is over he will owe me many favors. I have an idea of how I can travel often to Middle Earth, but I cannot even ask him until we win this war."

"If we win it," Thorin said, shaking his head. "It seems this Lord of yours treats you very poorly." He put his head in his hands, rubbing his eyes, trying to let all he had just seen and heard sink in. Thorin had seen many fabulous things in his life, but it was usually one or two in a day, not so many at once. It was all so fantastic, but there was no other explanation for the things he was seeing that made any sense. He felt that calming sensation again. Things started to rearrange themselves in his head, in a way he could grasp them better. It was amazing, but also rather frightening that he suddenly knew what Kaylea was talking about. He looked over at the Kzin, who shrugged.

"A hard habit to break, your majesty." Pilot got up and put one of his four-fingered hands on Thorin's shoulder. "How about a drink?" Thorin looked up at him. The Kzin was very tall, taller even than Kaylea.

"How about seven?" Thorin replied.

Kaylea led the way into the galley. They took seats on the curved bench behind the table while Pilot opened a cupboard and took out three glasses and a bottle. This was a different liquor than the one Kaylea usually brought with her, this one was blue. Pilot poured the shots, then raised his glass, Kaylea did as well.

"Welcome to the galaxy, my king," she said. Thorin clicked his glass to theirs and drank it down. The liquor was smooth and strong, with a sweet aftertaste. Pilot poured another round, Thorin knocked his back and had to admit he did feel better. He looked around, amazed at all the metal in this spaceship. Metal floors, metal walls, metal furniture. _How could they make such a thing?_ And why not add some decoration?

"Do you not get tired of all the grey?" He asked, looking around. Kaylea smiled.

"No, we can be anywhere." She spoke a strange word and the walls suddenly disappeared, replaced with a green forest of broad-leafed trees. Sunlight came through the canopy in long shafts, the leaves moving in a slight breeze. Thorin could see a wide pool with at waterfall dropping into it on the wall across from him. It was weird to still see the doors and table in the middle of this forest. The word hologram popped into his head, the walls projected moving pictures, recorded in different locations. He looked at Pilot, who nodded to him.

"This is my planet," he said. "We actually developed this, we Kzin hate to be confined for long periods and space travel requires us to spend many days at a time in these ships."

Kaylea spoke another word and they were in a grassy meadow, the sea before them, mountains falling steeply to the ocean beside them. Thorin's eyes went wide, he recognized it at once. He slid off the bench and stood up, turned around to see a large keep on the wall behind the table. Crenelated towers and walls, old stone, solidly built.

"Where is this?" He asked. Kaylea looked at him curiously.

"This is Tor Graham, my home," she replied.

Thorin turned around taking in the view. This was the spot he had seen in the Mirror, where they were to be married, he was sure of it. Galadriel had told him the future was never set, but his heart was racing. _This was the place!_

Kaylea was watching him closely. "You have seen this before."

Thorin nodded. "It is in that portrait you gave me," he said, which was true.

Kaylea nodded. "Of course, I had forgotten." It seemed to her he was remembering something more than just her portrait.

She got up and retrieved two bottles of beer from the provisions unit, she opened them and walked over to hand one to Thorin. He took it gratefully, sipped at it as he studied the view. The ocean was blue grey, he could almost hear it crashing against the cliff below. There was a breeze blowing the grass underfoot, waterfalls worked their way down steep paths in the mountains to either side, the sun high in the sky, the light seemed more blue than that on Middle Earth. He was going to be married out among the stars, his life had taken some strange turns, this would be the strangest.

"How about some dinner?" Kaylea asked. Thorin nodded. He was not particularly hungry, but the idea of eating seemed so normal among all the unbelievable things he had just seen and heard. He went back to sit at the table while Kaylea and Pilot busied themselves in the kitchen. It was not like any cooking he had ever seen, mostly opening packages and doors and pressing buttons. Kaylea brought two plates to the table of some kind of spicy curry dish that smelled delicious. Pilot was eating what looked like a huge slab of liver, he gave a second one to Ajax, who eagerly devoured it. Thorin looked from Kaylea to her Kzin pilot.

"Does Pilot talk to you in your head, like the wolves do?"

Kaylea smiled. "What Pilot can do is far more precise, as he just showed you. But he cannot get into my head. I have defenses against telepaths," she said. Pilot snorted. "The kind of telepathy the dire wolves use is different. Even I do not quite understand how." She smiled at the Kzin. "Kzin telepaths are incredibly powerful, but like all telepaths they are fond of silence. He has no reason to try to get into my mind."

Thorin gave Pilot a puzzled look. "You read minds when you do not want to?"

"Telepaths are not supposed to, but when we are around people with unshielded minds it is like they are shouting all the time," the Kzin said. "We have to consciously keep them out."

Thorin felt oddly embarrassed he had been shouting, wondering what the Kzin must think of him. "You said we had met before."

Pilot nodded. "I was at the Battle of the Five Armies, though you did not see me. Ever wonder why all those cave trolls kept dropping dead?"

Thorin stared at him. "That was you?" Everyone had assumed it was Gandalf.

Kaylea chuckled. "Telepaths are formidable weapons, the things they can do never cease to amaze."

Pilot chuckled. "You should hear what is being said about you two in that Dwarf city. Kissing each other in a public street, half the place is talking about a wedding."

Thorin stared at the Kzin. "Are you telling me you can read the minds of people all the way in _Erebor_?" He shook his head in realization, smiling. "I guess that is not any more extraordinary than the other things I have seen today."

Pilot nodded gravely. "Kzin originally bred telepaths for communication between planets, as well as for war. Your city is not that far away."

"So, the people approve?" Kaylea asked.

Pilot shrugged. "A 70-30 split. All the men are for it, of course," he smiled at Kaylea. "You rule over a rare group of subjects, your majesty. I think they will support you in anything you choose to do." He got up and poured himself a glass of water, nodding toward Thorin. "I hope you are keeping him, I like him."

Kaylea laughed. "Oh yes, I am keeping him. If he still wants me."

The Kzin turned and disappeared down the hall to the bridge without a further word. Thorin watched him go, wondering if the fact Pilot liked him was a good sign. Kaylea got up and gathered the dinner dishes, depositing them in a slot under the counter. Thorin was on his feet again, looking around at the hologram they were standing in, trying to remember every detail of it and also make sense of everything he had seen today. Kaylea came over and handed him another beer then went to sit on the couch.

"I warned you that everything will be different now," she said.

"Some things are still the same, my love" Thorin replied following to sit next to her, he reached over to touch her face. He had long known there were many things she had not told them, he had never expected them to be so strange. But when he looked in his heart, his feelings for her had not changed.

Kaylea met his gaze, putting her hand over his. "You do not feel differently about me? Now you know where I am really from, now that you know what really separates us?"

Thorin had to smile. "I always knew you were not from anywhere near here, now I know just how far." He shook his head. "I find it does not change the extraordinary connection we share or the fact that I love you and still want to marry you. Though I am not sure what kind of life we will lead together."

Thorin could see the relief on Kaylea's face, her eyes filled with tears. She pulled him close to her and kissed him. After a moment Thorin pulled back to wipe the tears from her cheeks, smiling.

"You really thought all this would harden my heart against you, or send me running in terror? You do not know me as well as you think, my love." He kissed her again, his hand travelling under her shirt to touch the skin of her back.

"My king," Kaylea began, after a moment. "Now you know what you are asking when you ask me to marry you. I want you to think carefully about it before you speak of it again. I am not sure yet what form a life together might take, but you can see how different it may be." Thorin started to speak, but Kaylea put a finger on his lips. "Do not answer yet."

"Very well, I will think about it. I promise." He sat back next to her, holding her hand. "Can we go to that place with the ice ships?"

Kaylea spoke a word and the scene changed. They were on the deck of a huge wooden ship, full sails and running from the wind. Thorin looked around and saw a sea of ice. There was a large island on the other wall with what looked like a small seaport clinging to its side. Thorin looked around, fascinated. There were many stranger things across the horizon than he had ever dreamed.


	10. Catching Up

10\. CATCHING UP

Kaylea awoke lying in her bed. She must have dozed off. She felt Thorin against her back, his arm around her waist. The walls were set to a grove of trees on Dorsai, the sky was just turning pink above the mountains on the far wall. She could feel Thorin was awake and put her hand over his, snuggling against him.

"What time is it?" Thorin asked. It had taken him a moment to remember where he was. He was sleeping in the most comfortable bed he had ever been in, but he was also in a grove of trees. Then he remembered, he was on a spaceship with the woman he loved and a giant orange cat who could read minds.

"The projection shows the time outside," Kaylea replied. "It is an hour before dawn."

Thorin sighed, he was so comfortable he did not want to move but he knew Kaylea never stayed still for long. This time she did not move immediately, just leaned back against him watching the dawn light grow stronger. Thorin looked around the room, there was not much personal about it. He had seen last night the walls opened up into all kinds of storage spaces: weapons, clothing, tools. There was a narrow desk along one wall and a table beside the bed, both without any kind of object or decoration on them. As he was looking at the desk a rectangular frame appeared on the wall, a blue light blinking in the corner.

A soft, melodious voice said something in a strange language. Thorin started, what was that? Kaylea answered in the same language. The blinking light stopped, the frame on the wall remained.

"Who was that?" He asked.

"That was the Ship," Kaylea said. "This spaceship is run by a kind of machine that thinks, it can also talk." Thorin knew what she was talking about, the ship's computer. Pilot must have put that one in his head.

"But what was that, on the wall?"

"Message from someone I do not feel like talking to today."

Thorin shifted to look at her face. "You can do that? Talk to people across the stars?"

"Yes," she turned her head to look at him. "I know, I put this off too long."

Thorin lay back down, hugging her. "All these years, we could have been talking to each other," he sighed. "I hope you are giving me something so I can send you messages when you leave."

Kaylea turned to look at him. "That, and a few other things," she said.

"Are you giving me a rifle, my love?" He whispered in her ear, now he knew what they were called. "I will make it worth your while." He moved his hand down between her legs.

Kaylea laughed, taking hold of his hand and bringing it back up to her chest. "No. If I give you one of those you will start building them and all Blackwolf's work to protect this place will be undone. Not to mention he will have my head on a plate."

Thorin sighed, tightening his arm around her. It got him thinking about the projectiles. Most of the weapon he understood, the barrel would be very hard to make but not impossible. What stumped him was the projectiles. How to move them down the barrel?

"Is this really how you live? I think your former quarters in Erebor have more decoration than these," Thorin told her.

Kaylea chuckled. "You do realize this whole ship moves? You cannot leave loose things lying around," she reached over and touched the wall next to the bed. A drawer slid out, she reached into it and stood up a photo of Thorin she had taken in Erebor. "You are right here, my king."

Thorin smiled. "So, you sleep with my portrait beside your bed, as I sleep with yours," he said. "Do you also dream of the day I wake up beside you every morning?"

"I try not to dwell on things that may never come to pass," she replied. When Thorin started to reply she put a finger on his lips. "You promised to think about all I have shown you. Do not speak until you do." Kaylea rubbed his arm. "I suppose we should get up, we have a long ride today. Let me show you what I really miss when I am in Middle Earth."

She took him to the bathroom and showed him the shower. After explaining the control panel and how the dispensers worked, she turned it on. Thorin grinned widely, feeling the warm water, now that was a great idea. He stepped into the spray and pulled Kaylea in with him. When they were clean, which took a bit longer than it might have, Kaylea hit the dryer switch and held her head under the fast dryer, then moved so Thorin could do the same. All she needed to do was add some oil to her braids and she could go a few days without having to redo them. When Thorin stepped out he looked back at the shower, as if fixing the idea in his mind.

"I am definitely building one of those," he said with a grin. "Clean and dry in less time than it takes to draw a bath."

Kaylea had put on her leggings and tunic, when Thorin was dressed they went out to the kitchen where there was already coffee waiting. Kaylea poured them each a cup and took them to the bridge to watch the sunrise. It would be some time before the sun hit the valley the ship was parked in. Kaylea touched the console and a small screen appeared filled with some kind of writing. She scanned it briefly before turning to Thorin with a smile. He was sitting in the chair where Pilot had been yesterday, being careful not to touch anything.

"We still need to do some catching up," Kaylea said. "If it is not too painful to tell, I would like to know what happened to your wife."

Thorin took a deep breath, remembering. "As I said, it is an old grief now. She traveled to visit her family every couple of years, she loved to ride ponies and was always jealous of that horse from Rohan that I had. One year a trader came up from the south with some small horses, I bought one for myself and she persuaded me to buy one for her. She rode him to visit her parents that year and used to ride him often around the Lonely Mountain. One day she was out riding. Durin was with her, he said her horse spooked at something on a narrow trail and reared up, fell over backward right on top of her and they both rolled a hundred feet down the mountain. I believe she was killed instantly. As I said, there was nothing anyone could have done."

Kaylea shook her head. "Durin being there explains his dislike for me. He was there when his mother died and now he thinks you dishonor her memory by trying to replace her."

Thorin looked down into his cup, shaking his head. "I am not trying to replace her, how can he not see that? And he knew she had a lover, the same as me."

Kaylea sighed. "One does not often have control over one's feelings. Your other son has a tremendous crush on me, and Freya likes me, so that makes it two out of three." She looked out the viewscreen at the dawn breaking over the hills. "You know this war I have been talking about is very close now, it may start any day."

Thorin nodded. He told her about a messenger that had come to Erebor from the Dark Lord promising the return of three of the Dwarven rings in exchange for information about a Halfling named Baggins and a ring he carried. Kaylea listened intently, then told him the story of how Bilbo came by the ring in the caverns under the Misty Mountains.

"I cannot believe Bilbo Baggins of all people is in possession of the One Ring!" Thorin said, shaking his head. "Turns out he was quite the burglar after all. Is this why you are here now? Is there a plan to keep it safe?"

She nodded. "Yes, that is Gandalf's part. It does change things if Sauron is now looking for a Halfling, he must know something of the story of how it was found. I am here to investigate other rumors, it may be that some we looked to as allies in this fight have changed their allegiances."

Thorin looked out the viewscreen thoughtfully. "We could use more allies, not less." He looked at her. "Do you think your Pilot can tell if my people still survive in Khazad-dum? It has been more than 30 years since we had any word from Balin."

"You know I doubt any of his party are left alive," Kaylea replied. "To attempt to retake Moria without a plan to deal with Durin's Bane was absolute folly, as I told him. But we can ask Pilot. Where is he?"

"Pilot is outside the ship, sir," came the reply in that melodious voice, speaking Khuzdul this time. Thorin started involuntarily, that voice from nowhere took some getting used to, as would most things in Kaylea's world. Kayea said they could talk to him when he came back.

"Can you tell me more about is this Lord Blackwolf you serve?" Thorin asked. "You seem to know him well. Are you so certain he would not allow you to travel to Middle Earth when you want to? Even if you told him it was to see the man you loved?"

Kaylea looked sharply at Thorin. "He does not know about you," she turned to face him. "If he knew I had another reason for coming to Middle Earth beyond the fact I love this planet and wish to defend it, he would probably ban me forever."

Thorin gave her a puzzled look. "Because I am a Dwarf?"

"Because everything Blackwolf does is about power. Knowing there is someone here I love is a weapon he could hold over me forever."

Thorin looked at her gravely. "I assume there is some binding reason you serve this lord. He does not sound just or reasonable."

"The Empire is a very different place than Middle Earth. To keep a hold on power there he must use every advantage, and he is very good at that," Kaylea looked out at the mountains around them. "There is a lot of history between me and Blackwolf. Out there I command an elite fighting force, we are said to be the Emperor's personal guard but we actually work for Blackwolf. He is the true power behind the throne. I trained long and hard to get where I am, dealing with Blackwolf is the price I pay to do what I was born to do."

"Wait a moment," Thorin frowned. "You said he was originally from Middle Earth, how did he get to the stars? Did he build himself a spaceship?"

Kaylea smiled. "There are other ways to travel to the stars. I do not believe he is the only Elven lord who knows how, just the only one who has actually done it."

As they were talking Pilot came in and took a seat along the wall. He looked over at Thorin. "You seem to be adjusting well to all this, your majesty."

Thorin smiled ruefully. "Thanks partly to you."

Kaylea asked the Kzin what he could see in Moria. Pilot called up a map of Middle Earth on the screen and Thorin pointed out where Khazad-dum lay, astonished to see the land laid out from above in its natural formations. Both Mirkwood and Lothlorien were clearly visible, which helped him get his bearings. The Kzin studied the map for a time with a faraway look in his eyes.

"Goblins, more goblins, orcs, cave trolls," Pilot closed his eyes. "Something nasty in the water at the western door. There is something…" His voice trailed off, he looked at Thorin. "I do not know, there is some kind of presence there I have not felt before, but it is faint. Sleeping perhaps, or waiting for something. I read no Dwarves."

"I am sorry," Kaylea said. "It is as I feared." Thorin bowed his head. It was also what he had expected, but Balin had been one of his closest friends and advisors, and many of his people had gone with him. Kaylea and Pilot sat in silence with him for a time, to honor the fallen. When Kaylea moved again, she called up a window on the console and made some entries then got up and went to the far wall, taking something out of a slot. Thorin watched her curiously as she brought it over to him. It was a slim metal rectangle that fit easily into his hand, one side had a beautiful brushed finish the other looked like glass. "When you are ready, Pilot will take you through it," she said, resting her hand on his shoulder. "I am so sorry, my king." She picked up his coffee cup and went to refill it and make some breakfast.

Thorin was saddened to hear about his people in Khazad-dum, but in a way he had already done his mourning for Balin, he had known when he let him go to Moria that he likely would never return. He turned the thing Kaylea had given him over in his hands. "What is this?" He asked the Kzin. Pilot gave him a closed-lipped smile.

By the time Kaylea came back Thorin was already making a call to her. Her handheld which she had left on the console was chiming. She smiled and hit the receive key. Kaylea could not believe how fast Thorin picked things up, having a telepath there to seamlessly insert instructions in his head was part of it, but it was also his natural affinity for understanding how things worked. She had enabled only a few functions on the handheld she gave him, not wanting to return to Erebor to find electric lights and steam engines.

The two of them set out for Erebor later that morning. Kaylea had given Thorin two sets of the woven armor she used, much lighter and more comfortable than mail and no weapon of Middle Earth could pierce it. She also had let him choose a couple of axes from her armory. They were light, beautifully balanced and sharp as razors. Thorin would rather have had a rifle, but the ax was one of his favorite weapons. Dearest to his heart was the device she had given him, now he would be able to speak with her and see her when she was away from Middle Earth. He carried it in a pocket inside his tunic, he was already thinking about the case he would make for it.

On the way back they talked about what Kaylea's life was like out among the stars. She told him that she was always working and unless he wanted to play the faithful husband waiting at home he would need to do the same training as her soldiers. The Sardaukar were organized into three-man teams, so if Thorin could pass the training he would become part of her team. She warned him the training was far from easy. Thorin just laughed.

"After all these years you still think threatening me with a challenge is going to stop me?"

"The Sardaukar are the toughest warriors in the galaxy. Training typically lasts three years and less than ten out of a hundred make it," Kaylea replied gravely. "Some of them die."

Thorin tightened his arms around her, bringing his lips close to her ear. "And I will graduate at the top of my class. All this time and you still do not know me."

"I am only letting you know what you are getting into before you decide if you want to continue down this path with me. A few more things for you to think about, before you make your decision."

As if that decision was not already made, Thorin thought to himself, tightening his arms around her. He would not let her go. He had known that since the first time he saw her in the sunset on the way to Rivendell all those years ago.


	11. The Answer is Given

11\. THE ANSWER IS GIVEN

As they traveled back to Erebor that afternoon Kaylea remembered how much she enjoyed having Thorin ride behind her. The last few times they had traveled together he had his own horse, she had forgotten how much she enjoyed the feel of his arms around her, his breath on her neck. She smiled remembering that first ride they had taken together, how she had to constantly bring her mind back to tracking that pack of orcs when she was so conscious of Thorin, his body under his clothes, the smell of his leather bracers. After all these years she still did not understand why he affected her this way, but she had long ago given up worrying about it. She wondered if anything she had shown him in the last day had come close to changing his mind about marrying her. At least he knew now what he was signing up for.

It was a beautiful early summer day, warm sun and cool breeze coming off the mountains. They took a bit more time coming back, Ajax ranged off on either side, hunting smells in the grass. When they came to the road to Erebor it was just turning dusk, the sun already down behind the mountains. They had only gone a short distance when Kaylea halted her horse, she turned at the sound of bells on the wind. Coming down the road from Dale were two riders, one wrapped in dark green clothes, his black hair streaming in the breeze. The other rider was cloaked, but his white horse seemed to glow in the evening light, his tack flashing with gems, bells jingling as he trotted down the road. Both riders seemed surrounded by silver light, looking almost unearthly in the dying light. Kaylea let Thorin down and dismounted her horse. When the riders stopped in front of them she bowed low.

"My lords," she said. "What brings the lords Glorfindel and Elrohir to Erebor?" Thorin regarded them curiously, wondering the same.

Both the Elves swung off their horses. Glorfindel threw back his hood to reveal his fine, regular features, his silver hair topped with a circlet of silver. "We are here to see you, my lady," he said. Kaylea looked up in surprise. "We have much to discuss."

Thorin stepped forward. "My lords, you look as though you have traveled far. Will you not stop and enjoy the hospitality of my house? When I was a weary traveler I was welcomed in the house of Elrond, I would not wish to miss an opportunity to return the favor. Please allow me to welcome you to Erebor."

Elrohir smiled, Glorfindel looked down the road at the huge gates of the Dwarf city. "We had not thought to stop. But I have never passed the doors of your great city, perhaps now is the time." He looked at Thorin, then at Kaylea. "I remember well meeting you in Rivendell, Thorin, son of Thrain. Curious I should again meet you in the company of Kaylea Wolf."

"Not as curious as you may think," Thorin said. "Please my lords, will you not accept my offer?" _And I will not even blindfold you_ , he thought to himself.

Glorfindel nodded. "Our horses could do with a rest, as could both of us. We will accompany you to Erebor, your majesty." He turned and mounted his horse, both Kaylea and Elrohir did the same. Kaylea pulled Thorin up behind her. Elrohir fell in beside them with an amused smile.

"I had no idea you two were still a thing," he said to Kaylea in Galactic Standard, then fell back to ride beside Glorfindel, ignoring Thorin's scowl.

When they reached the gates of Erebor, the guards swung them open seeing the King returning. Ajax trotted ahead, heading for the stairs. The party dismounted and Thorin led the two Elves into his city. Kaylea took the reins of their horses and led them to the stables. After caring for her horse and seeing that the others were properly taken care of she went up to Thorin's apartments, he was there getting changed.

"The Elves want to have a council right away," he said. "I thought we could change and meet with them, then go straight down to dinner." He looked over at her with his best pleading face. "Do you still have that silver dress, my love?"

Kaylea smiled. "I do. I also brought another one that is more formal, if you think that is appropriate."

"It is hard to think of anything more formal than dinner with two Elvish lords," Thorin was scowling at Ajax who had one paw up on the bed. "Stay off there, Master Wolf!" He looked back at Kaylea with a smile. "Surely you cannot blame me for wanting to show you off, my love?"

"Your wish is my command, my king," Kaylea said, walking toward the closet. She always found it hard to deny Thorin the little things he asked for. She took out the pale blue dress she had brought with her, she felt she needed something more appropriate for Middle Earth. This one did have a deep, heart shaped neckline, but it showed much less skin than some of her other dresses. Long sleeved and close-fitted, with a straight skirt and a hemline that brushed the floor, a short train trailing behind. She changed quickly and put her hair up in a twist. Thorin looked at her approvingly as she put on the ring and one of the many necklaces he had made for her. He was wearing her favorite outfit, soft dark grey shirt, fur trimmed silver vest and black pants and boots.

"I asked the Elves to meet us in the forward guard room." This was the room Thorin used as a kind of office, though he had a much grander one nearer to the forges.

Thorin offered Kaylea his arm and they walked out along the gallery toward the front wall. He always felt such pride walking with her on his arm for all to see, now he was free to do it whenever he wanted.

The Elves were already in Thorin's office when they arrived, drinking wine out of long-stemmed glasses. Both of them rose as Thorin and Kaylea came in, Elrohir smiled at Kaylea's dress.

"This is a very different look for you," he said, raising his eyebrows. Glorfindel also looked surprised, and a bit amused.

"Indeed, I have only ever seen you in those black garments you are so fond of," he said. "In that dress I believe you rival those Elves that are considered fairest in all Middle Earth, even Luthien Tinuviel herself."

"You are too kind, my lord," Kaylea moved to pour wine for herself and Thorin.

"Now, my lords. Why are you here?" Glorfindel looked at Thorin. "You may speak freely in front of the king," Kaylea said. "In fact, he has a story you both should hear."

Glorfindel and Elrohir had just come up from the south and they had much to impart. Elrohir had been with the Rangers in Ithilien and had met Glorfindel in Lothlorien where he had been dwelling for a time. From the Rangers came news that the armies of Sauron were already gathering, many thousands had passed through Ithilien on the way to the Black Gate. Glorfindel said that he believed Saurman may have been turned, the lands of Isengard around Orthanc were filled now with smoke and industry, and Saruman's influence seemed to be spreading to Rohan. The second palantir Kaylea and Thorin had guessed at had been found in Osgiliath and was probably now in the possession of the Steward of Gondor. Elrohir said when they heard Kaylea was in Erebor they had come to discover how soon she planned to bring her troops and if she could offer any other aid. This last part interested Thorin, he wondered if they were hinting that her lord might somehow be able to intervene.

Kaylea then bade Thorin to tell the story of the messenger who had come to Erebor looking for information about a Halfling named Baggins. This news seemed to alarm the two Elves.

"If he knows he is looking for a Halfling, how soon before he sends his riders to the Shire?" Elrohir asked, his face grave.

"Not long, I expect," Thorin answered. "But I did not give him an answer, only told him to come back after I had considered his offer."

Glorfindel nodded. "Time grows very short now, the Dark Lord will soon be ready to move."

"Why wait until he is ready?" Thorin asked. "Why not move now, before he is prepared?"

Kaylea smiled at him, he had taken the words right out of her mouth.

"We are not ready either, your majesty," Glorfindel replied. "Things have been set in motion, but we have not yet decided on what course to take."

Kaylea nodded. "The sooner you do the better," she said. "And the sooner the Ring is on its way out of the Shire, the safer we will all be. There is no way to defend it there."

Elrohir looked grave. "Rivendell cannot protect it, not for long."

"It is better protected there than in the Shire," Kaylea replied. "At least until a decision is made about what to do with it."

"What will you do with it?" Thorin asked, suddenly curious. The Elves looked at him.

"That is not for us alone to decide," Glorfindel said, looking at Kaylea. "Elrond must call a Council. Elrohir and I ride now to Rivendell to encourage him to do this, perhaps you will join us?"

Kaylea nodded. "I will come."

Elrohir drained his glass. "Such dark tidings are better pondered on a full stomach," he said. "Let us have some dinner."

Kaylea and Thorin walked into the Reception Hall, the Elves following them. There were a few Dwarves already there, including Dis, Freya, Gloin, Dori, Fili and his wife and a few others. Durin was away in Asgaroth with Gimli. Thorin introduced them to their Elvish guests, there were still a few more expected for dinner so they all took glasses of wine and talked among themselves. Although it was a summer day outside, fires burned brightly in both hearths to warm the guests.

Kaylea had just seen Thror come in with Dwalin when Thorin guided her aside to stand beside one of the fireplaces. He motioned for one of the servants to approach and took her glass, placing it on the tray with his own. Then he stood before her, taking her hands in his. Kaylea looked at him curiously, wondering what was coming.

"I have been thinking about what you showed me, as you asked me to do," he began, speaking softly. "Years ago when we were in Lorien the Lady Galadriel told me I have another lifetime ahead of me. I do not wish to spend that life without you at my side." He stepped back and knelt down on one knee.

Kaylea realized too late what he was doing. "You are not really going to do this to me!" She hissed at him. Thorin grinned at her, like a cat that had caught a canary.

"Oh, I most certainly am," he said quietly. "When will I have an audience like this again?" By now all eyes in the room were on them, including the two Elves. Thorin looked up at her, holding her hands tightly. He spoke loudly, so all could hear.

"Kaylea Wolf, I have loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. I am yours body and soul forever, nothing will change that. Now that I have fulfilled all the obligations that kept us apart, I wish only for a future with you at my side. Will you marry me?"

You could cut the air in the room with a knife. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath. Kaylea looked down at Thorin, angry at him for cornering her like this but also knowing that he was simply never going to take no for an answer. And why should he? She loved him as she had never loved anyone before, she knew in her heart she would do whatever it took to be with him. She had put him off so long, she did not want to risk losing him by doing it again. He knew who she was now, and he still wanted her.

"Yes, of course I will marry you," she said at last. Thorin smiled widely, carefully he took the silver ring he had given her so long ago her from her right index finger and put it on her left ring finger. Then he stood and kissed her softly. There was a round of applause from the people in the room, as they stood side by side to face them. Glorfindel stepped forward.

"May I be the first to congratulate you!" He said. "I thought when I first saw you I had never seen two people so destined to be together. Or a more unlikely couple," he added with a smile.

"Thank you, my lord," said Kaylea, laughing. Thorin inclined his head.

"You must allow me to perform the ceremony," Glorfindel continued. Thorin looked skeptical.

"I will want a proper Dwarvish ceremony," he said. Glorfindel laughed, then launched into a speech in a kind of Khuzdul Kaylea was not familiar with, she could follow the gist of it but the words were subtly different. The words sounded grand and almost musical on his tongue, all the Dwarves stared at him in astonishment to hear the ancient words of their people in his clear voice. Glorfindel stopped speaking and looked at Thorin. "I believe that is how it starts," he said.

Thorin nodded, impressed despite himself. "That is quite right."

The Elven lord looked around the room. "I will need a cloth, and I assume you have rings?"

"We will not be getting married right this minute, my lord," Kaylea said, shaking her head and holding a hand up.

Glorfindel looked from one to the other of them with an amused smile. "A celebration is in order, of course. But are not such things more for the family? They have little to do with the actual vows, I sense you are both ready to have them spoken."

Thorin grinned, nodding his agreement. "Yes, I have been ready to speak them for many years. However, among my people it is not customary to separate the vows from the celebration. I think my sister might actually stab me."

"And my people would behead me," Kaylea said. "The king and I have spoken about holding this ceremony later, perhaps after this war has passed."

Glorfindel laughed. "You hesitate because of your kin? Would they not wish you to be happy? The love between the two of you is obvious to all. This war will soon be upon us, we go forward now into an uncertain future. Do you not wish to face this future without regrets?"

Thorin looked at him thoughtfully, considering his words, then at Kaylea who would no doubt consider it a great honor to be married by Glorfindel himself. Elrohir leaned over to speak in his ear. "If I were you, I would marry her now before she changes her mind," he said conspiratorially. This made Thorin chuckle.

"It is a rare day I agree with an Elf, let alone two of them," he looked at Kaylea, remembering Galadriel's words that the future was never set. "I have already been married with a big ceremony, I cannot say my marriage was happier for it. Let us be married now. When we know better what form our life together will take we will have a large ceremony with many guests and family. And I will set a crown on your head then." He drew her close. "I have waited long, asking and always hoping for a different answer. Now that I have finally convinced you I want it done."

Kaylea nodded. She saw no reason to hesitate, waiting would not change the way she and Thorin felt about each other. And to be married by Glorfindel himself was more than she could ever have asked. The Elf lord turned to face the room.

"Who stands for the king?" He asked. Fili and Dwalin stepped forward. "And for Kaylea Wolf?" Freya and Dis came to stand at her side. Freya was wearing a lace scarf around her neck, she unwound it and handed it to the Elf lord. Thorin gave Fili the wedding band that fit onto Kaylea's ring and his own ring he had made to match, he had carried them with him since he made them. They had become like a kind of talisman but now they would take their proper places. He and Kaylea moved to stand on either side of Glorfindel. The Elven lord paused for a moment as if collecting his thoughts, then he looked around the room and began to speak Khuzdul in his clear voice. Kaylea did not know the exact words, but she could follow it in a general way.

"I do not know this ceremony," she whispered to Thorin. "You will have to guide me." Thorin nodded to her, amazed he had found a language she did not speak.

The first part of Glorfindel's speech seemed to be about the nature of the contract between them, about their possessions before the union and how they should be divided. It made Kaylea smile, it was so like the Dwarves to put a contract in their wedding vows. Glorfindel turned to her first.

"Do you agree we have no prior claim on each other's possessions or works and do not expect to share in them unless there is mutual agreement?" Thorin whispered to her.

"I agree," Kaylea said. Glorfindel then turned to Thorin, who also agreed. The Elf then spoke the next vow, this one detailed their love for each other, that they would hold each other above all others, treasured more than any jewel of the earth, to cherish and protect one another and only break the oath upon death. Again the Elf lord turned to Kaylea first.

"I understood that," Kaylea whispered to Thorin, who smiled widely at her.

"I do," Kaylea said. Glorfindel then turned to Thorin and repeated the vow.

"I do," he said. The Elf then motioned to Fili, who came forward with the rings. Thorin took the ring for Kaylea, he removed her ring and fitted the band to it then replaced it on her finger, since the wedding band must sit closest to her heart. Kaylea then deliberately picked up Thorin's ring and slipped it on his finger. When they both turned to face Glorfindel again he took their hands and wrapped the scarf around them, tying it loosely as he spoke about the unbreakable vow they had taken. He then bowed to them both. "It is done," he said. Thorin and Kaylea turned toward each other, Thorin taking both her hands in his and holding them to his heart.

"Today I am the happiest man in Middle Earth, my wife," he said.

Kaylea smiled widely at him, she leaned forward. "In Dorsai, it is customary to kiss the bride."

"An excellent tradition!" Thorin pulled her close and kissed her, more briefly than he usually did, but the passion was plain for all to see. The servants were coming around with glasses of champagne, when everyone had a glass Dis raised hers in a toast.

"To the King and his warrior Queen, long may they reign!" She was smiling widely at Kaylea, remembering their first conversation so long ago. She had known at the time that Thorin would get his way eventually, now at last it was done.

Thorin had waited long to turn this page, but at long last the next chapter of his life was to begin.


	12. Epilogue

EPILOGUE

Thorin adjusted his whale fur collar and pushed the door open. The wind hit him at once, it was a testament to his Sardaukar training that 10 degrees and a stiff wind hardly felt cold to him anymore. He walked across the wide wooden deck to the forward rail, listening to the mast creaking, the swish of the runners on the ice. There was a sound of voices behind him, he looked to see Pilot on the back deck talking to a couple of crew members. It made Thorin smile, telepaths were a shunned caste on Kzin but to the catlike Tran females he was the flavor of the month.

Thorin leaned against the rail looking out at the vast ocean of ice, the eastern sky just beginning to turn pink. He sipped at his spice coffee, the cold wind biting his face. It was a good day to be alive. Today was Durin's Day, at least it was back home on Middle Earth. He had many good memories of this day in the past 300 years. So clearly he remembered standing in front of that secret door so many years ago, willing the dying light to show him the way into his kingdom. It was odd to feel younger now than he did then but boosterspice, three years of unspeakably hard training and a low gravity planet would do that to you. His life had changed in so many ways since he had opened that door to Erebor. Rebuilding his kingdom, the births of his children, the great War of the Ring and the defeat of Sauron, then the reclaiming of Moria. And his first adventure off Middle Earth by himself - which he had somehow managed to survive. He still owed Thranduil for that one. Marrying Kaylea Wolf again, not once but twice. First in Erebor in front of hundreds of guests he had finally set a crown on her head. And then again on the lawn of Tor Graham, as he had seen in Galadriel's Mirror surrounded by her dark-haired Dorsai family. He and Blackwolf had even managed to call a truce for that day. As a father himself Thorin found he could not deny the great lord the opportunity to walk down the aisle with his daughter. And now they were here, sailing the ice ocean of Tran-Ky-Ky.

The king watched the light grow in the east, thinking about the first time he had seen this view. Shown to him by Hector in a dream, he remembered how he had been immediately drawn to it, how intensely he had wanted to be on that ship. It was strange because he was certainly not a sailor, far from it. There was a kind of freedom to it that drew him, as someone who had been burdened by many responsibilities all his life the idea of just being able to sail away from them was very attractive. As he watched the dawn he picked up someone coming across the deck towards him; he listened for the step, the breathing pattern. Kaylea. Thorin smiled as she put her arms around him, kissed him on the neck.

"A credit for your thoughts?" She asked, with a smile.

"Good morning, wife," Thorin said, leaning over to kiss her as she moved to stand beside him at the rail.

"Good morning, husband. You looked as if you were deep in thought." She smiled at him like the dawn breaking.

Thorin laughed. "Today is Durin's Day," He pulled her close to him. "I was just thinking about the many turns my life has taken."

Kaylea frowned, making the calculations. "Yes, it is the New Year. And they were not all bad turns."

Thorin chuckled. "No, indeed. Many of them were good." The sun came over the horizon, turning her face golden. There was a shout from up in the rigging, they looked to see another ship, some distance off. He could just make out the same flag as their ship was flying. He and Kaylea stood at the rail, sipping coffee and watching the sun come up, it was warm on their faces. Thorin looked over at his wife, now that his training was done they could finally live like a married couple. After this they were headed back to Erebor for a couple years. The first thing he wanted to do was to go to Moria, the reports had all been positive but he needed to see how Durin was doing for himself. Thorin wondered idly how different it would seem to him now after so many years among the conveniences of the Empire. The bargain with Lord Blackwolf to travel to Middle Earth whenever they wished had been a long time coming, but it was done now. Thinking of Blackwolf reminded him of a question he had meant to ask his wife.

"I was just thinking about that conversation we had with Blackwolf," he began. Kaylea looked at him.

"The one where you accused his mother of performing questionable sex acts with trolls?"

Thorin rolled his eyes. "What I said was much worse than that," he replied matter-of-factly. "I really need to teach you Ancient Khuzdul. Anyway, I am talking about the conversation we had at our wedding, about boosterspice."

Kaylea nodded. "That is is not supposed to make you younger and taller?" She smiled at him. "Or are you talking about his feigned slip of the tongue?"

"Was that what it was? I was just wondering about it."

"Blackwolf never says anything accidently. He did plainly say you had aged backward and he could not tell IF you would start aging again," Kaylea shook her head remembering that day, she had to give Thorin a lot of credit for holding his temper. "He is the geneticist, not me. He said 'if' and changed it to 'when', I really think that was his backhanded way of giving us a wedding present. He did give you another shot, remember."

Thorin smiled as he finished his coffee and set it down, he picked Kaylea up and swung her around. She laughed, bending her head down to kiss him. The beads of their braids clicked together in the wind. As she had many times in the past few years, Kaylea wondered why she had waited so long to marry this man.

"What shall we do then with all the time in the world, wife?"

"I am sure we will think of something, my husband."


End file.
